Exports and imports of goods, January–March 2020, in current prices and in constant prices:
Stronger exports than imports of goods in first quarter
Statistical news from Statistics Sweden 2020-05-29 9.30
In the period January–March 2020, Swedish exports of goods increased by 2 percent, while imports of goods decreased by 2 percent in current prices, compared with the same period last year. Exports of goods increased by 4 percent in volume (value in constant prices), while imports of goods decreased by 2 percent.
Summary of the period January–March 2020
- The value of Swedish exports of goods amounted to SEK 390 billion, up by 2 percent compared with the same period a year earlier. At the same time, the value of imports of goods decreased by 2 percent and amounted to SEK 361 billion.
- In volume terms, exports of goods increased by 4 percent, while imports of goods decreased by 2 percent.
- Net trade shows a surplus of SEK 30 billion. In the same period in 2019, there was a net trade surplus of SEK 15 billion.
- Compared with the previous quarter, Swedish exports of goods rose by 1 percent in current prices while the import of goods decreased by 7 percent. In volume terms, exports of goods increased by 4 percent, while imports of goods decreased by 5 percent.
Detailed information about January–March 2020 (current prices)
Imports of goods from Russia decreased by 57 percent
Sweden’s exports of goods to EU27 decreased by 1 percent and imports of goods from there decreased by 2 percent, compared with the same period a year ago. Exports to the euro countries decreased by 1 percent, and imports from there decreased by 2 percent. Among the EU countries, exports to Germany rose by 3 percent, and to Denmark by 6 percent, while exports to the Netherlands decreased by 4 percent. Imports from both Germany and the Netherlands increased by 1 percent, while imports from Denmark decreased by 3 percent.
Exports to other European countries remained unchanged, while imports from there increased by 2 percent. Exports to the United Kingdom decreased by 5 percent, and imports from there decreased by 9 percent. Exports to Norway remained unchanged, while imports from there increased by 26 percent. Exports to Russia decreased by 1 percent, and imports from there fell by 57 percent. In the period, imports of crude oil from Norway increased significantly, while imports from Russia fell considerably. This mainly explains the large changes for these countries.
Exports to Asia increased by 20 percent, while imports from there decreased by 10 percent. Exports to China increased by 33 percent, while imports from there decreased by 13 percent. In the first quarter, exports of pharmaceutical products and road vehicles accounted for the largest increase to China.
Both exports to and imports from the United States increased by 12 percent.
Detailed information about the first quarter 2020 (in current prices and in constant prices)
Exports of pharmaceutical products increased by 35 percent in value and by 30 percent in volume
In the first quarter, Sweden’s exports of goods increased by 2 percent in value (current prices) compared with the corresponding period a year ago. Exports of goods increased by 4 percent in volume in the first quarter of 2020 compared with the corresponding quarter of 2019.
Exports of machinery and transport equipment decreased by 1 percent in value and by 4 percent in volume. Within this product area, exports of road vehicles decreased by 7 percent in value and by 10 percent in volume. Exports of mineral fuels and electric current decreased by 6 percent in value and rose by 24 percent in volume. The large difference between the value and volume trends is due to lower prices on petroleum products. Minerals decreased by 5 percent in value and by 1 percent in volume. Chemical and rubber products increased by 19 percent in value and by 17 percent in volume. Within this product area, exports of pharmaceutical products increased by 35 percent in value and by 30 percent in volume. Exports of wood and paper products increased by 1 percent in value and by 11 percent in volume. Within other products, exports of food/beverages/tobacco increased by 11 percent in value and by 8 percent in volume.
Imports of crude petroleum oils increased in value by 2 percent and in volume by 22 percent
In the first quarter, Sweden’s imports of goods decreased by 2 percent in both value and volume compared with the corresponding period a year ago.
Imports of machinery and transport equipment decreased by 1 percent in value and by 2 percent in volume. Imports of mineral fuels and electric current decreased by 14 percent in value and rose by 1 percent in volume. Within this product area, imports of petroleum products decreased by 25 percent in value and by 21 percent in volume. At the same time, imports of crude petroleum oils increased by 2 percent in value and by 22 percent in volume. The main difference between the value and volume trends is due to lower prices on crude petroleum oils. Imports of chemicals and rubber products remained unchanged in value and decreased by 2 percent in volume. Imports of wood and paper products decreased by 6 percent in value and by 3 percent in volume, and minerals decreased by 9 percent in value and by 8 percent in volume. Within other products, imports of food/beverages/tobacco increased by 4 percent in value and remained unchanged in volume.
The value index and the volume index describe nominal and real value trends over time. The real value trends describe trends in which price changes have been removed. The indices are chain indices with base year 2015=100.
The value index and the volume index for exports of goods rose in the first quarter. This increase is slightly higher for the volume index due to lower export prices.
The value index and the volume index for imports of goods decreased in the first quarter. Compared with the previous quarter, the decrease is larger than compared with corresponding quarter a year ago. The volume index shows a lower rate of change than the value index, compared with previous quarter. This is due to higher import prices in fourth quarter 2019.
| Exports | Imports | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Value (current prices) | Value (current prices) | ||||||||
| Region | January-March | Share in % | Change in % | January-March | Share in % | Change in % | |||
| 2020 | 2019 | 2020 | 2020/2019 | 2020 | 2019 | 2020 | 2020/2019 | ||
| Total | 390 320 | 381 060 | 100.0 | 2 | 360 784 | 369 992 | 100.0 | ‑2 | |
| Europe | 277 983 | 279 526 | 71.2 | ‑1 | 306 076 | 308 266 | 84.8 | ‑1 | |
| EU27_2020 | 202 930 | 204 254 | 52.0 | ‑1 | 240 109 | 243 831 | 66.6 | ‑2 | |
| EMU-19 | 154 986 | 157 202 | 39.7 | ‑1 | 187 601 | 191 557 | 52.0 | ‑2 | |
| EU28 | 223 290 | 225 593 | 57.2 | ‑1 | 256 802 | 262 179 | 71.2 | ‑2 | |
| Other European countries | 75 052 | 75 272 | 19.2 | 0 | 65 967 | 64 435 | 18.3 | 2 | |
| Africa | 7 519 | 8 105 | 1.9 | ‑7 | 3 230 | 5 317 | 0.9 | ‑39 | |
| North Africa | 3 945 | 4 159 | 1.0 | ‑5 | 551 | 427 | 0.2 | 29 | |
| West Africa | 782 | 869 | 0.2 | ‑10 | 2 129 | 4 227 | 0.6 | ‑50 | |
| Central, East and Southern Africa | 2 792 | 3 078 | 0.7 | ‑9 | 551 | 663 | 0.2 | ‑17 | |
| America | 43 514 | 40 572 | 11.1 | 7 | 13 610 | 13 915 | 3.8 | ‑2 | |
| North America | 36 030 | 32 362 | 9.2 | 11 | 11 586 | 9 998 | 3.2 | 16 | |
| Central and South America | 7 484 | 8 209 | 1.9 | ‑9 | 2 024 | 3 917 | 0.6 | ‑48 | |
| Asia | 54 015 | 45 099 | 13.8 | 20 | 37 270 | 41 501 | 10.3 | ‑10 | |
| Middle- and Near East | 8 474 | 5 982 | 2.2 | 42 | 1 768 | 1 767 | 0.5 | 0 | |
| Other countries in Asia | 45 541 | 39 116 | 11.7 | 16 | 35 502 | 39 733 | 9.8 | ‑11 | |
| Oceania and Antarctica | 6 207 | 4 419 | 1.6 | 40 | 451 | 708 | 0.1 | ‑36 | |
| Exports | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Value (current prices) | Volume (value in constant prices) | |||||
| Share in % | Change in % | Change in % | ||||
| Commodity group according to SITC | January-March 2020 | January-March 2019 | January-March 2020 | January-March 2020/2019 | Q1 2020/Q1 2019 | |
| Total | 390 320 | 381 060 | 100.0 | 2 | 4 | |
| Wood and paper products | 39 451 | 38 953 | 10.1 | 1 | 11 | |
| Wood | 8 559 | 8 225 | 2.2 | 4 | 17 | |
| Pulp and waste paper | 6 441 | 6 678 | 1.7 | ‑4 | 25 | |
| Paper, paperproducts | 22 697 | 22 296 | 5.8 | 2 | 6 | |
| Minerals | 38 972 | 40 853 | 10.0 | ‑5 | ‑1 | |
| Iron ore and concentrates | 6 775 | 5 309 | 1.7 | 28 | 35 | |
| Iron and steel | 16 737 | 20 804 | 4.3 | ‑20 | ‑16 | |
| Non-ferrous metals | 7 513 | 6 855 | 1.9 | 10 | 13 | |
| Chemicals, rubber products | 65 094 | 54 552 | 16.7 | 19 | 17 | |
| Organic/inorganic chemicals | 5 047 | 5 017 | 1.3 | 1 | 1 | |
| Pharmaceuticals products | 36 356 | 27 020 | 9.3 | 35 | 30 | |
| Plastics | 9 044 | 9 061 | 2.3 | 0 | 0 | |
| Mineral fuels, electric current | 23 477 | 25 104 | 6.0 | ‑6 | 24 | |
| Petroleum products | 20 935 | 20 474 | 5.4 | 2 | 24 | |
| Machinery, transport equipment | 170 613 | 172 900 | 43.7 | ‑1 | ‑4 | |
| Manufactures of metals | 10 218 | 10 449 | 2.6 | ‑2 | ‑4 | |
| Industrial machinery | 57 118 | 58 136 | 14.6 | ‑2 | ‑3 | |
| Electronics, telecommunication | 38 684 | 35 078 | 9.9 | 10 | 4 | |
| Road vehicles | 54 238 | 58 309 | 13.9 | ‑7 | ‑10 | |
| Passenger cars | 30 078 | 27 940 | 7.7 | 8 | 3 | |
| Lorries, trucks[1] | 6 856 | 8 599 | 1.8 | ‑20 | ‑22 | |
| Parts, accessories | 13 923 | 17 587 | 3.6 | ‑21 | ‑22 | |
| Other transport equipment | 1 676 | 2 810 | 0.4 | ‑40 | ‑43 | |
| Instruments, photo/optical products | 8 680 | 8 118 | 2.2 | 7 | 7 | |
| Other products | 52 712 | 48 698 | 13.5 | 8 | 6 | |
| Food, beverages, tobacco | 25 084 | 22 588 | 6.4 | 11 | 8 | |
| Textiles, clothing, footwear | 10 213 | 9 123 | 2.6 | 12 | 9 | |
| Furniture | 4 981 | 4 964 | 1.3 | 0 | ‑1 | |
| Imports | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Value (current prices) | Volume (value in constant prices) | |||||
| Share in % | Change in % | Change in % | ||||
| Commodity group according to SITC | January-March 2020 | January-March 2019 | January-March 2020 | January-March 2020/2019 | Q1 2020/Q1 2019 | |
| Total | 360 784 | 369 992 | 100.0 | ‑2 | ‑2 | |
| Wood and paper products | 10 292 | 10 987 | 2.9 | ‑6 | ‑3 | |
| Minerals | 27 082 | 29 919 | 7.5 | ‑9 | ‑8 | |
| Iron and steel | 11 613 | 13 834 | 3.2 | ‑16 | ‑12 | |
| Non-ferrous metals | 5 468 | 5 701 | 1.5 | ‑4 | ‑2 | |
| Metalliferrous ores, metal scrap | 3 758 | 4 157 | 1.0 | ‑10 | ‑7 | |
| Chemicals, rubber products | 47 212 | 47 233 | 13.1 | 0 | ‑2 | |
| Organic/inorganic chemicals | 9 030 | 9 831 | 2.5 | ‑8 | ‑10 | |
| Pharmaceuticals products | 13 212 | 12 201 | 3.7 | 8 | 1 | |
| Plastics | 9 167 | 9 386 | 2.5 | ‑2 | 1 | |
| Crude rubber, rubber products | 4 256 | 4 550 | 1.2 | ‑6 | ‑9 | |
| Mineral fuels, electric current | 33 319 | 38 708 | 9.2 | ‑14 | 1 | |
| Crude petroleum oils | 19 144 | 18 804 | 5.3 | 2 | 22 | |
| Petroleum products | 11 967 | 15 879 | 3.3 | ‑25 | ‑21 | |
| Machinery, transport equipment | 158 731 | 160 277 | 44.0 | ‑1 | ‑2 | |
| Manufactures of metals | 11 955 | 12 146 | 3.3 | ‑2 | ‑3 | |
| Industrial machinery | 39 088 | 39 642 | 10.8 | ‑1 | ‑4 | |
| Electronics, telecommunication | 54 840 | 54 411 | 15.2 | 1 | 3 | |
| Road vehicles | 41 383 | 42 260 | 11.5 | ‑2 | ‑4 | |
| Passenger cars | 20 469 | 18 092 | 5.7 | 13 | 10 | |
| Parts and accessories | 14 266 | 16 928 | 4.0 | ‑16 | ‑17 | |
| Other transport equipment | 1 997 | 2 936 | 0.6 | ‑32 | ‑37 | |
| Instruments, photo/optical equip | 9 467 | 8 881 | 2.6 | 7 | 4 | |
| Other products | 84 148 | 82 868 | 23.3 | 2 | ‑2 | |
| Food, beverages, tobacco | 41 357 | 39 626 | 11.5 | 4 | 0 | |
| Textiles, clothing, footwear | 20 004 | 20 648 | 5.5 | ‑3 | ‑7 | |
| Furniture | 6 387 | 6 439 | 1.8 | ‑1 | ‑4 | |
Definitions and explanations
The United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union has led to the replacement of the former EU28 group in the country tables for foreign trade in goods with the EU27_2020 group. This change applies to country tables with data reported as from January 2020. The cutoff point is January 2020, rather than the actual withdrawal month February 2020, since the values in the tables are based on accumulated periods starting from January. In this text, the term EU27 is used.
Publication
This report is published in more detail in the statistical report:
Foreign trade – Exports and imports of goods January–March 2020 (pdf)
Next publishing will be
2020-08-27 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.