The preliminary CPI inflation rate for February 2026 was 0.5 percent, which was unchanged from the previous month. The monthly change for the CPI from January to February was 0.6 percent. The regular publication for February takes place on March 12.
2025 was rounded off with a weaker quarter for Sweden’s foreign trade in services. The value of Sweden’s export and import of services increased, but growth rates were relatively modest. The UK and USA continue to be the most significant trading partners.
The annual net income for the local government sector – municipalities and regions combined – amounted to SEK 40.3 billion in 2025, which means an increase of SEK 34.2 billion. The improved result is mainly due to increased tax revenues. The annual net income for municipalities amounted to SEK 32.0 billion and for regions to SEK 8.3 billion in 2025. The regions are thereby reporting a profit this year, after two years with deficits.
During the fourth quarter of 2025, the market value of insurance and occupational pension companies' investment assets increased just under 1 percent to a new record level of SEK 8,262 billion. By year end holdings in equities surpassed SEK 6,000 billion for the first time.
Three years after completing their studies, just under six out of ten foreign doctoral graduates from the 2017–2020 cohort remained in Sweden. Among international students who completed a two-year master’s programme in Sweden in 2019, only around one third were still in the country three years later. For incoming students who completed a one-year master’s programme, retention was as low as 15 percent.