According to preliminary estimates, new orders for Swedish industry increased by 4.4 percent during the first quarter 2010 compared to the fourth quarter 2009. This reflected a 4.8 percent increase in the domestic market and a 4.1 percent increase in the export market.
New orders increased by 4.2 percent from February to March. The increase in the domestic market was 3.1 percent and the increase in the export market was 5.2 percent.
In February new orders decreased by 0.9 percent compared to January, implying no revision compared to the first release of the results for February.
New orders in the capital goods industry increased from February to March by 6.7 percent and by 4.6 percent during the first quarter compared to the fourth quarter. The increase in March as well as for the first quarter is mainly explained by more new orders in industry for machinery and equipment (NACE 28) and in the industry for motor vehicles (NACE 29).
New orders in the intermediate goods industry increased by 3.5 percent from February to March and by 5.3 percent during the first quarter compared to the fourth quarter.
New orders in the non-durable consumer goods industry increased from February to March by 1.1 percent and by 1.0 percent during the first quarter compared to the fourth quarter.
New orders in the durable consumer goods industry were up by 1.4 percent from February to March and by 3.6 percent during the first quarter compared to the fourth quarter.
The total volume of new orders increased by 24.0 percent for March 2010 compared to March 2009. The increase in the domestic market was 15.9 percent and the increase in the export market was 30.5 percent. The number of working days was 23 for March 2010 compared to 22 for March 2009.
New orders for February 2010 increased by 11.9 percent compared to February 2009, implying a revision downwards by 0.6 percentage points compared to the first release of the results for February.