Sweden experienced a significant downturn in goods trade during April 2025, with exports and imports both declining sharply in value and volume compared with the previous year, according to the latest figures from Statistics Sweden.
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Exports fell by 7% in value and 1% in volume year-on-year, while imports dropped by 7% in value and 2% in volume over the same period. When compared with March 2025, exports decreased by 9% in value and 8% in volume, and imports fell by 7% in value and 6% in volume. The month of April also had one fewer weekday than March, contributing to the contraction.
Josefine Regard, statistician at Statistics Sweden, explained, 'Exports of pharmaceutical products decreased in both value and volume compared with last year and last month.'
Key sectors showed varying degrees of decline. Exports of passenger cars, a vital Swedish export, plummeted 18% in value and 14% in volume compared with April 2024. Month-on-month, these exports also fell 14% in value and 12% in volume.
Exports of wood and paper products decreased 7% in value and 10% in volume year-on-year. Within this category, exports of wood itself increased 3% in value but fell 7% in volume. Compared with the previous month, wood exports sharply declined by 17% in value and 19% in volume.
The chemicals and rubber products category, which includes pharmaceuticals, saw a 6% drop in value and 1% decline in volume year-on-year. Pharmaceutical exports were hit particularly hard, down 12% in value and 8% in volume compared with the previous year, and further declined 18% in value and 20% in volume from March 2025.
Machinery and transport equipment exports fell 8% in value and 3% in volume year-on-year, with passenger cars again highlighting the weakness in this sector.
On the imports side, minerals saw a 16% drop in value and 9% decline in volume compared with April 2024. Mineral fuels and electric current imports fell sharply, down 30% in value and 4% in volume, with crude petroleum oils dropping 31% in value and 1% in volume year-on-year.
However, imports of food, beverages, and tobacco bucked the trend, increasing 7% in value and 11% in volume compared with April last year, though volume dipped slightly month-on-month.
The figures signal a challenging trading environment for Sweden, affected by weaker demand and global market shifts. Statistics Sweden will publish its next update on 28 July 2025.
More information:
Statistics Sweden
www.scb.se