Financial Accounts first quarter 2026
Households saved more in the first quarter of the year
Statistical news from Statistics Sweden 2026-06-17 8.00
In the first quarter of 2026, households' liquid savings amounted to SEK 81 billion, which was an increase of SEK 28 billion compared with the corresponding quarter in 2025. Over the same period, the annual loan growth rate of household loans continued to increase.
During the first quarter 2026, households saved SEK 115 billion in liquid assets, while loans increased by SEK 34 billion. As a result, net liquid savings amounted to SEK 81 billion, which was SEK 28 billion higher compared to the first quarter of 2025.
In the first quarter of 2026, Swedish households net purchased funds worth SEK 25 billion, which is an increase of SEK 27 billion compared with the corresponding quarter last year. Net purchases of listed shares amounted to SEK 10 billion, an increase of SEK 14 billion compared to the first quarter of 2025. At the same time, households made net deposits in bank accounts to the value of SEK 20 billion, which contributed to an increase in liquid savings.
Households are saving more in funds
Households' annual loan growth rate increases
Swedish households' net borrowing, i.e. the sum of new loans minus amortisation, amounted to SEK 34 billion in the first quarter of 2026. This represents an increase of SEK 4 billion compared with the corresponding quarter last year. It is mainly secured loans that contribute to the increase. The annual growth rate of households' total loans rose to 2.9 per cent in the quarter, compared with 2.7 per cent in the previous quarter.
- The first quarter of 2026 is the first period in which the right to deduct unsecured loans has been completely abolished. So far, there are no signs that households have changed their behaviour as a result of the new circumstances, says Emil Jansson, economist at Statistics Sweden.
The households’ loan growth rate continues to increase
Continued negative savings for central government
The central government's net lending was negative in the first quarter of 2026. During the period, central government transactions in financial assets was plus SEK 3 billion, while liabilities increased by SEK 42 billion. Financial savings thus amounted to minus SEK 39 billion, which is an increase of SEK 4 billion compared with the corresponding quarter last year. For the full year 2025, central government financial savings was minus SEK 84 billion, which is a decrease of SEK 12 billion compared with the previous year.
Over the past two quarters, the central government’s debts has increased more than its assets
In 2022, the government had a positive savings, and since then it has been negative on an annual basis. The difference from the EU average was just under 4 percentage points in 2022 and has since gradually decreased every year. In 2025, Sweden showed a negative financial saving of 1.2 per cent of GDP, while the EU countries had a negative financial saving of 2.8 per cent of GDP on average.
The government has had a negative financial saving for the past three years
Financing of non-financial corporations
In the first quarter of 2026, non-financial corporations financed themselves with net borrowing, i.e. new loans minus amortisation, from monetary financial institutions to a value of SEK 40 billion. In the corresponding quarter last year, net borrowing amounted to SEK 18 billion.
Financing through debt securities, new issues minus maturities and repurchases, amounted to SEK 8 billion in the first quarter of 2026. Compared with the corresponding quarter in 2025, they reduced their debt in debt securities by SEK 20 billion.
Total loans from monetary financial institutions amounted to SEK 2,908 billion at the end of the quarter. The value of issued debt securities amounted to SEK 1,465 billion.
Non-financial corporations are increasing their financing through debt securities and loans
Revisions
In the publication of the financial accounts for the first quarter of 2026, revisions have been made back to 2022 in order to improve the statistics where new data have become available. The revisions affect both the time series for years and quarters.
The rest of the world sector has been revised back to 2022 with new data from the Balance of Payments, which has resulted in revisions in financial transactions and balances.
Municipalities and regions have revised all quarters in 2025.
Definitions and explanations
In the statistical news, reference is made to the liquid financial savings of households. It is calculated as the difference between transactions in financial assets and liabilities excluding accruals (tax accruals, occupational pensions and other technical provisions). For more information, see the Financial Accounts Quality Declaration, section 1.2.2.
The aim of financial accounts is to provide information on financial assets and liabilities as well as changes in financial savings and financial wealth for different sectors of society. The statistics are presented in current prices and do not take inflation into account.
The financial savings in financial accounts is calculated as the difference between transactions in financial assets and liabilities. In the Real Sector Accounts, which, like the Financial Accounts, are part of the National Accounts, financial savings are calculated as the difference between income and expenses. However, financial accounts and real sector accounts are based on different sources, which gives rise to differences between these two products.
In the Financial Accounts, the government debt is calculated differently from the government debt metric that is most frequently reported and which is calculated according to the convergence criteria – the ‘Maastricht debt’. The definition of the Maastricht debt does not include all financial instruments, the instruments are presented in nominal value and the liabilities for government administration are consolidated. The government debt in the Financial Accounts is unconsolidated and includes all financial instruments at market value.
In addition to the government agencies, the government administration sector also includes certain state foundations and state-owned companies. Government administration does not include entities within the retirement pension system. Instead, they make up the social security funds sector. Municipal administration includes primary municipal authorities, regional authorities (formerly county council authorities), municipal associations and certain municipal foundations and certain municipally or regionally owned companies.
More information: National wealth
The National Wealth, which contains annual data on non-financial and financial assets, is also published in connection with the publication of the Financial Accounts. Financial assets and liabilities are collected from the Financial Accounts and are thus consistent with the values published in the Financial Accounts.
For further information, see:
National assets and national balance sheets (pdf)
Changes for users retrieving information with the help of an API
In the fall of 2025, PxWebApi v1 was replaced by PxWebApi v2. PxWebApi v1 will remain up and running until, 31 December 2026, but will after that no longer be functional. For more information and instructions on conversion, please see PxWebApi v2
Comments
Information on the collateral for the loans from MFI comes from the Financial Market Statistics at Statistics Sweden (SCB). www.scb.se/fm5001