Economy
Economic and financial news and information from Sweden.
Swedish GDP sees unexpected fall as consumption rises
Sweden's GDP saw an unexpected drop in January, falling 1.1 percent compared to the previous month, according to preliminary figures from Statistics Sweden.
Swedish interest rate 'could be cut' in March
Sweden's central bank, the Riksbank, could cut the country's key interest rate as early as next month, a new report has predicted.
Sweden's finance minister says 'no money for new spending' after election
Sweden's finance minister, Elisabeth Svantesson, has warned that "most of the leeway for extra spending" in the four years after the election has already been used up, days before Sweden's fiscal watchdog is expected to slam her expansive budget.
Swedish inflation falls back to two percent target
Sweden's inflation rate has fallen back to the Riksbank's 2 percent target, according to new preliminary figures, despite an expansive election-year budget from the country's government.
Why it could be easier to get on the Swedish housing ladder from April 1st
A new proposal set to come into force on April 1st will change the rules around mortgages, increasing accessibility for first-time buyers. But what exactly does it include?
How Trump-proof is Sweden's economy?
Sweden's finance minister Elisabeth Svantesson declared the Swedish economy was "Trump-proof" when US President Trump said on Monday that he would hit Sweden with tariffs. The tariff threat was dropped on Wednesday, but how vulnerable is the Sweden to future tariffs?
Swedish pension fund sells off US Treasury bonds
Swedish pension fund Alecta said Wednesday that it had sold the bulk of its US Treasury bonds over the past year, citing the unpredictability of the current administration and growing US debt.
Swedish krona reaches four-year high against dollar
One US dollar cost 9.12 Swedish kronor on Wednesday morning. The krona has not been this strong against the dollar since the start of 2022.
European leaders denounce Trump's tariff threats over Greenland
European leaders on Sunday hit back at US President Donald Trump's threat of tariffs over their opposition to his designs on Greenland, with far-right Italian leader Giorgia Meloni urging Washington against making a "mistake".
EU to ink long-awaited trade deal with South American bloc
The European Union will on Saturday sign a deal 25 years in the making with the South American trade bloc Mercosur, creating one of the world's largest free trade areas at a time of growing protectionism and volatility.
Sweden bucks global trend as income gap narrows
Sweden has become slightly more equal over the past decade, with the income gap between the top 10 percent and the bottom 50 percent of earners dropping marginally, according to the World Inequality Report by the French economist Thomas Piketty.
How Sweden's ISK savings account will change in 2026
From January 1st next year, the amount you can save tax-free in an ISK account will double, but the tax rate is also increasing a little, meaning that while most will be better off, not everyone will be.
Is Sweden's rapid economic recovery bad news?
Sweden's economy is growing much faster than expected, which experts believe could mean that the government's financial policy has done too much too soon, raising the risk of an interest rate hike in the future.
Trial opens in Klarna's $8.3-bn lawsuit against Google
A Swedish court began hearing arguments on Monday in a lawsuit brought by Swedish price comparison site Pricerunner, owned by Klarna, against tech giant Google for over $8 billion for promoting its own shopping comparisons in search results.
Swedish central bank lowers interest rate to 1.75 percent
Sweden's central bank, the Riksbank, has cut the country's key interest rate by 0.25 percentage points to 1.75 percent, with the bank's director adding that there will be no further cuts.
How Sweden’s 2026 budget could affect your finances
Sweden's government has unveiled tax cuts of more than 50 billion kronor as part of an expansive budget designed to win voters' support ahead of next September's election. How much do you stand to gain?
IN NUMBERS: What's in Sweden's 2026 budget?
The government is next year set to hike government spending by 100 billion kronor to 1.5 trillion kronor, with the deficit of 167 billion close to those seen in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic and the 1993 and 2008 financial crises. Here are the main numbers (all in kronor).
Swedish government cuts tax by 50 billion kronor in bumper 2026 budget
Sweden’s government has unveiled a 2026 budget with 46 billion kronor in tax cuts on jobs, pensions and food, aiming both to revive the economy and to woo voters ahead of next year’s election.
Swedish government to slash welfare payments to large families
Sweden's government on Wednesday said it would cut welfare benefits for large families as part of its 2026 budget. It predicted the measure would affect around 5,000 families and increase the incentive to find work.
Swedish food prices fall for first time this year
Food prices have fallen for the first time this year. How could this affect the central bank’s next interest rate decision later this month?
Sweden's government to cut taxes on work and pensions
Sweden's government has unveiled plans to cut taxes on work, pensions and electricity in the final portion of its package of pre-election giveaways it claims will save a typical family 1,800 kronor a month.
How much money will Sweden's halving of food VAT save an average family?
Sweden's government on Thursday confirmed plans to cut VAT on food from 12 percent to 6 percent, starting next April, as part of an expansive pre-election budget. How could it affect your finances?
Do new Swedish inflation figures mean the key interest rate will rise?
Inflation rose to 3.3 percent in August according to preliminary figures, but underlying inflation dropped. What does that mean for the likelihood the Riksbank central bank will raise the interest rate later this month?