Trends in volume of exports and imports of goods, 4th quarter 2017:
Strong quarter for export volume of goods
Statistical news from Statistics Sweden 2018-02-27 9.30
Exports of goods from Sweden increased by 7 percent in volume (value in constant prices) in the fourth quarter of 2017 compared with the fourth quarter of 2016. In the same period, imports of goods to Sweden increased by 5 percent in volume.
In the period January–December 2017, the volume of exports and imports increased by 5 and 4 percent respectively compared with the same period in 2016. In current prices, exports of goods increased by 10 percent and imports of goods increased by 9 percent. Differences between current and fixed prices can be explained by price increases.
Export volume of passenger cars and lorries continued to increase
Exports of goods increased by 7 percent in volume in the fourth quarter of 2017 compared with the fourth quarter of 2016.
Exports of machinery and transport equipment increased by 11 percent in volume. Within this product area, exports of passenger cars increased by 30 percent and lorries increased by 48 percent during this period.
The export volume of mineral fuels and electric current increased by 10 percent. Chemical and rubber products increased by 4 percent. Minerals increased in export volume by 1 percent and, within this product group, iron and steel increased by 3 percent.
Exports of wood and paper products increased by 2 percent in volume. Within this product area, exports of wood increased by 10 percent. The export volume of other products increased by 2 percent. Within this product area, exports of food, beverages and tobacco increased by 3 percent.
Import volume of industrial machinery increased
Imports of goods increased by 5 percent in volume in the fourth quarter of 2017 compared with the fourth quarter of 2016.
Imports of machinery and transport equipment increased by 7 percent in volume. Within this product area, imports of industrial machinery increased by 15 percent and parts and accessories (road vehicles) increased by 22 percent.
The import volume of mineral fuels and electric current decreased by 2 percent in the fourth quarter. Within this product area, imports of crude petroleum oils decreased by 6 percent, while petroleum products increased by 6 percent in volume.
As regards chemical and rubber products, the import volume increased by 3 percent. Within this product area, organic/inorganic chemicals decreased by 8 percent, while imports of crude rubber and rubber products increased by 12 percent.
Imports of wood and paper products and minerals increased by 1 percent and 5 percent respectively in the fourth quarter.
Imports of other products increased by 4 percent in volume. Within this product area, imports of textiles, clothing, footwear increased by 5 percent.
| Change in % against corresponding period last year | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volume | Volume | Volume | Volume | Value | |
| Year 2016 | 3 q 2017 | 4 q 2017 | 1-4 q 2017 | 1-4 q 2017 | |
| Total | 2.9 | 5.0 | 7.0 | 5.0 | 9.6 |
| Wood and paper products | 2.1 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 2.2 | 5.4 |
| Wood | 4.2 | 0.5 | 10.2 | 4.2 | 9.2 |
| Pulp and waste paper | ‑0.4 | 5.3 | ‑0.2 | ‑0.9 | 6.6 |
| Paper, paperproducts | 2.3 | 1.3 | ‑0.5 | 2.3 | 3.7 |
| Minerals | 7.3 | 9.2 | 1.2 | 3.9 | 21.9 |
| Iron ore and concentrates | .. | .. | .. | .. | 41.4 |
| Iron and steel | 8.9 | 9.0 | 3.3 | 3.4 | 18.6 |
| Non-ferrous metals | 3.6 | 21.9 | ‑9.8 | 6.3 | 24.3 |
| Chemicals, rubber products | 3.6 | 0.8 | 4.0 | 4.6 | 7.5 |
| Organic/inorganic chemicals | 9.4 | 0.8 | 7.6 | 5.4 | 9.4 |
| Pharmaceuticals products | 2.7 | ‑0.3 | 1.3 | 5.2 | 7.0 |
| Plastics | 3.6 | 3.4 | 8.9 | 5.1 | 9.6 |
| Mineral fuels, electric current | 6.9 | 4.1 | 10.0 | 2.4 | 26.1 |
| Petroleum products | 9.3 | ‑2.2 | ‑4.9 | ‑3.9 | 21.0 |
| Machinery, transport equipment | 2.4 | 8.5 | 10.9 | 8.0 | 8.4 |
| Manufactures of metals | 0.3 | ‑0.2 | 3.3 | ‑0.9 | 3.1 |
| Industrial machinery | ‑3.1 | 3.6 | 9.0 | 6.6 | 8.3 |
| Electronics, telecommunication | ‑0.5 | 5.8 | 6.4 | 5.0 | 2.9 |
| Road vehicles | 13.1 | 23.2 | 25.0 | 18.1 | 18.6 |
| Passenger cars | 19.8 | 36.0 | 30.3 | 21.4 | 20.2 |
| Lorries, trucks [1] | ‑4.8 | 43.9 | 47.6 | 35.6 | 37.0 |
| Parts, accessories | 18.2 | 2.9 | 8.1 | 6.6 | 8.3 |
| Other transport equipment | 5.7 | ‑11.0 | ‑45.1 | ‑29.0 | ‑27.6 |
| Instruments, photo/optical products | 1.8 | ‑1.6 | ‑3.0 | 0.0 | ‑0.6 |
| Other products | ‑0.1 | ‑1.4 | 1.8 | ‑0.5 | 3.4 |
| Food, beverages, tobacco | 1.2 | ‑2.9 | 3.2 | ‑3.1 | 1.2 |
| Textiles, clothing, footwear | ‑0.4 | ‑0.1 | 0.3 | 2.8 | 5.7 |
| Furniture | ‑0.7 | 3.2 | ‑2.3 | 1.8 | 4.4 |
[1] Including road tractors for semi-trailers
| Change in % against corresponding period last year | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volume | Volume | Volume | Volume | Value | |
| Year 2016 | 3 q 2017 | 4 q 2017 | 1-4 q 2017 | 1-4 q 2017 | |
| Total | 5.9 | 3.4 | 4.7 | 3.9 | 8.7 |
| Wood and paper products | 9.0 | 4.5 | 0.6 | 4.5 | 8.3 |
| Minerals | 9.1 | 4.0 | 5.4 | 4.8 | 19.2 |
| Iron and steel | 14.0 | 7.4 | 2.4 | 7.8 | 24.7 |
| Non-ferrous metals | 10.3 | 11.3 | 6.7 | 2.8 | 18.1 |
| Metalliferrous ores, metal scrap | ‑2.4 | ‑13.6 | 5.4 | ‑5.4 | 20.7 |
| Chemicals, rubber products | 3.7 | 5.2 | 3.1 | 2.9 | 6.8 |
| Organic/inorganic chemicals | ‑4.1 | 10.7 | ‑7.8 | 1.6 | 7.2 |
| Pharmaceuticals products | 10.2 | ‑1.5 | 0.4 | ‑0.5 | 0.7 |
| Plastics | 4.8 | 6.0 | 8.9 | 4.5 | 12.0 |
| Crude rubber, rubber products | 1.0 | 10.4 | 12.1 | 7.8 | 11.9 |
| Mineral fuels, electric current | 10.5 | ‑7.1 | ‑2.4 | ‑0.2 | 23.0 |
| Crude petroleum oils | 3.1 | ‑6.8 | ‑5.9 | ‑1.1 | 26.9 |
| Petroleum products | 17.8 | ‑7.0 | 5.8 | 4.6 | 21.8 |
| Machinery, transport equipment | 6.2 | 6.4 | 7.0 | 6.3 | 7.6 |
| Manufactures of metals | 5.3 | 6.6 | 3.9 | 6.7 | 11.4 |
| Industrial machinery | 0.1 | 9.6 | 15.1 | 9.9 | 10.8 |
| Electronics, telecommunication | 5.4 | 0.8 | 8.6 | 4.2 | 4.5 |
| Road vehicles | 14.9 | 8.7 | 3.7 | 6.9 | 8.7 |
| Passenger cars | 14.9 | 1.6 | ‑4.0 | 3.1 | 4.1 |
| Parts and accessories | 10.3 | 18.6 | 21.8 | 11.5 | 14.3 |
| Other transport equipment | ‑0.7 | 62.9 | ‑40.4 | 0.8 | 3.8 |
| Instruments, photo/optical equip | 2.0 | 2.7 | 6.6 | 3.5 | 6.4 |
| Other products | 3.4 | 1.5 | 3.8 | 1.2 | 3.4 |
| Food, beverages, tobacco | 3.0 | ‑1.6 | 2.4 | ‑1.7 | 2.1 |
| Textiles, clothing, footwear | 4.5 | 4.0 | 5.3 | 2.8 | 3.2 |
| Furniture | 2.6 | 9.1 | 10.6 | 9.5 | 9.7 |
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. 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 2000 (=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.
Publication
This report is published in more detail in the Statistical Report.
Next publishing will be
2018-05-28 at 09:30.
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