Trends in volume of exports and imports of goods, 2nd quarter 2018:

Volume of both exports and imports of goods continued to increase

Statistical news from Statistics Sweden 2018-08-28 9.30

Exports of goods from Sweden increased 5 percent in volume (value in constant prices) in the second quarter of 2018 compared with the second quarter of 2017. In the same period, imports of goods to Sweden increased 9 percent in volume.

In current prices, exports of goods increased by 11 percent and imports of goods increased by 16 percent in the same period.

Export volumes of passenger cars continued to increase

Exports of goods increased by 5 percent in volume in the second quarter of 2018 compared with the second quarter of 2017.

Exports of machinery and transport equipment increased by 9 percent in volume. Within this product area, the exports of passenger cars increased by 35 percent. The exports of lorries/trucks increased by 13 percent.

Exports of mineral fuels and electric current increased by 3 percent in volume.

Exports of chemical and rubber products increased by 4 percent in volume. Within this product area, exports of pharmaceuticals products increased by 9 percent.

Exports of minerals decreased in volume by 3 percent.

Exports of wood and paper products decreased by 2 percent.

The product area for other products increased in volume by 9 percent in the second quarter. Within this product area, the export of food/beverages/tobacco increased by 12 percent and textiles/clothing/footwear were unchanged.

Import volume of pharmaceutical products increased by 14 percent

Imports of goods increased by 9 percent in volume in the second quarter of 2018 compared with the second quarter of 2017.

Imports of machinery and transport equipment increased by 11 percent in volume.

The import volume of mineral fuels and electric current increased by 1 percent in the second quarter. Within this product area, the volume of imports of crude petroleum oils increased by 8 percent.

Imports of chemical and rubber products increased by 8 percent in volume. Within this product area, the import volume of pharmaceutical products increased by 14 percent, whereas imports of plastics increased by 6 percent.

Imports of wood and paper products increased by 5 percent and imports of minerals increased by 11 percent in the second quarter.

Imports of other products increased by 7 percent in volume. Within this product area, imports of food/beverages/tobacco increased by 9 percent, whereas imports of textiles/clothing/footwear increased by 12 percent.

Exports – volume and value trends by important commodity groups
Change in % against corresponding period last year          
  Volume Volume Volume Volume Value
  Year 2017 1 q 2018 2 q 2018 1-2 q 2018 1-2 q 2018
Total 4.9 5.6 5.3 5.5 9.2
Wood and paper products 2.2 ‑2.7 ‑2.3 ‑2.5 8.6
Wood 4.2 ‑2.4 ‑4.1 ‑3.3 7.8
Pulp and waste paper ‑0.9 0.0 2.0 1.0 21.5
Paper, paperproducts 2.2 ‑3.2 ‑2.9 ‑3.0 6.4
Minerals 3.9 3.9 ‑2.7 0.5 6.5
Iron ore and concentrates .. .. .. .. ‑2.5
Iron and steel 3.5 5.1 ‑3.2 0.8 9.7
Non-ferrous metals 6.3 4.0 ‑5.5 ‑0.8 6.5
Chemicals, rubber products 4.6 5.7 3.9 4.8 4.8
Organic/inorganic chemicals 5.4 ‑10.8 0.5 ‑5.4 ‑0.3
Pharmaceuticals products 5.0 17.6 8.6 13.0 7.0
Plastics 5.0 ‑4.3 ‑2.4 ‑3.3 1.0
Mineral fuels, electric current 2.2 ‑1.9 3.5 0.7 20.4
Petroleum products ‑4.1 ‑4.3 1.8 ‑1.4 17.1
Machinery, transport equipment 7.9 11.1 8.6 9.8 10.4
Manufactures of metals ‑0.9 1.1 4.7 3.0 7.2
Industrial machinery 6.7 9.6 3.5 6.4 8.4
Electronics, telecommunication 4.8 7.9 8.8 8.4 3.6
Road vehicles 18.0 19.4 15.3 17.3 19.4
Passenger cars 21.4 38.5 34.9 36.8 35.2
Lorries, trucks [1] 33.6 9.1 13.1 11.1 15.6
Parts, accessories 6.4 3.5 ‑3.5 ‑0.1 4.1
Other transport equipment ‑28.9 2.3 58.0 33.3 26.2
Instruments, photo/optical products ‑0.3 ‑2.4 ‑6.2 ‑4.4 0.9
Other products ‑0.6 ‑1.0 9.1 3.9 6.2
Food, beverages, tobacco ‑3.2 7.1 12.2 9.6 10.6
Textiles, clothing, footwear 2.6 ‑3.9 0.1 ‑2.0 2.0
Furniture 1.8 ‑4.6 1.5 ‑1.7 3.2

[1] Including road tractors for semi-trailers

Imports – volume and value trends by important commodity groups
Change in % against corresponding period last year          
  Volume Volume Volume Volume Value
  Year 2017 1 q 2018 2 q 2018 1-2 q 2018 1-2 q 2018
Total 4.0 6.2 8.6 7.4 12.2
Wood and paper products 4.6 0.8 4.5 2.7 15.0
Minerals 6.2 6.3 11.2 8.8 18.8
Iron and steel 11.0 16.1 12.5 14.3 25.3
Non-ferrous metals 3.0 ‑2.6 9.4 3.4 16.7
Metalliferrous ores, metal scrap ‑5.4 ‑17.5 19.1 ‑0.4 11.4
Chemicals, rubber products 2.9 6.4 8.3 7.4 10.3
Organic/inorganic chemicals 1.7 19.1 5.1 11.8 17.4
Pharmaceuticals products ‑0.5 5.2 13.9 9.5 6.4
Plastics 4.4 4.6 6.0 5.3 11.5
Crude rubber, rubber products 7.9 0.8 5.5 3.1 7.8
Mineral fuels, electric current ‑0.2 0.2 1.0 0.6 24.6
Crude petroleum oils ‑1.0 ‑1.2 7.8 3.2 31.7
Petroleum products 4.5 ‑0.9 ‑2.7 ‑1.8 15.9
Machinery, transport equipment 6.2 9.4 10.7 10.1 11.9
Manufactures of metals 6.7 3.0 7.2 5.2 8.9
Industrial machinery 9.7 8.6 10.7 9.7 13.5
Electronics, telecommunication 3.8 15.0 12.3 13.6 11.7
Road vehicles 7.0 4.8 11.8 8.3 11.8
Passenger cars 3.2 1.3 7.0 4.2 6.7
Parts and accessories 11.6 14.3 16.3 15.3 21.2
Other transport equipment 2.3 34.7 ‑3.6 14.5 18.7
Instruments, photo/optical equip 3.8 3.4 5.1 4.2 7.5
Other products 1.2 3.1 7.5 5.2 5.9
Food, beverages, tobacco ‑1.8 6.7 8.5 7.6 7.9
Textiles, clothing, footwear 2.8 1.3 11.6 6.1 4.9
Furniture 9.4 2.5 5.7 4.0 6.6

Definitions and explanations

Volume changes (value changes in constant prices) are calculated on a quarterly basis. The calculations are based on foreign trade statistics’ values in current prices for different product groups, and on information on price changes taken mainly from Statistics Sweden’s calculations for the export and import price indices. The foreign trade statistics are based on total export and import values for different product categories, that is, the values are estimated to account for undercoverage and non-response that occur in the statistics on trade with EU countries. The calculations are done as chain indices for the different product areas, with the base year 2015 (=100). The volume index is calculated using Laspeyres’ formula, and the price index is calculated using Paasche’s formula. Information on the current year and the most recent year is regularly revised, depending on revisions of the underlying foreign trade material, with values expressed in current prices. Information on price changes may also occasionally be revised.

Change of base year

In connection with the publication of the first quarter of 2018 (on 28 May 2018), the base year for the calculation of volume index was changed. The new base year is 2015 (2015=100). The change of base year does not affect the differences in development in the tables above, but it affects the index figures published in the Statistical Database and the statistical report. In these tables, the index figures according to SPIN and SITC use the new base year. Earlier tables, using the base year 2000, are no longer updated.

New product classification

Trends in volume of exports and imports of goods are reported according to SPIN in the Statistical Database. As of the first quarter of 2018, SPIN 2015 is used.

The differences in nomenclature are minor, and most changes are at the division level in sections A–E.

Publication

This report is published in more detail in a Statistical Report. 

Next publishing will be

2018-11-27 at 09:30.

Statistical Database

More information is available in the Statistical Database

Feel free to use the facts from this statistical news but remember to state Source: Statistics Sweden.

Statistical agency and producer

Statistics Sweden, Foreign trade and balance of payments

Address
Solna strandväg 86
171 54 Solna

Enquiries

Marie George

Telephone
+46 10 479 50 01
E-mail
marie.george@scb.se

Lowis Ibrahim

Telephone
+46 479 48 33
E-mail
lowis.ibrahim@scb.se