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Gloomy times for Swedish exports- Export Managers’ Index, fourth quarter 2023 On November 9, 2023, Business Sweden published the report “Gloomy times for Swedish exports- Export Managers’ Index, fourth quarter 2023” conducted by Statistics Sweden (SCB). This report is a key indicator of Sweden's economic development. Unfortunately, the report conveys a pessimistic outlook, as the Index dropped to 44.4 from 46.7 in the previous quarter, the lowest since the pandemic's outbreak. The level has only been lower three times before, which happened during the financial crisis of 2008/2009 and the following European debt crisis in 2012. The decline is primarily driven by a decrease in the current subindex, falling from 50.7 in Q3 to 44.3 in Q4. Despite this, the forward-looking subindex shows a modest rise from 42.8 in Q3 to 44.5 in Q4, indicating a slightly improved outlook for the next three months. As both subindices are below the 50-mark, it is an indication that the export companies have a gloomy view of the development. Distinct for these results are that the view on the present times has become worse, while the outlook on a three-month horizon has become better in comparison with previous surveys' results. The level for the view of current export sales also fell from 54.5 in Q3 to 44.2 in Q4 as well as the one for export order stocks declining from 45.7 in the previous quarter to 38.5 in quarter four. The index also showed that the view of profitability of export sales fell by 1.8 points compared to the previous quarter to 50.1 in Q4. These results highlight that the export companies have a gloomy perception about export sales and export order stocks, but a more neutral view of the profitability of export sales. On a three-month horizon, the level, however, increased for both the view on expected export sales and the profitability of export sales, and both indexes are close to the 50 mark, which suggests a more neutral view when looking forward. Notably, the Index is below 50 in Western-, Central-, and Eastern Europe, indicating a more pessimistic outlook compared to other regions in the world. In summary, while current conditions are perceived negatively, companies express a more confident outlook for the future. Read the full report .  

We are thrilled to introduce Anne Korthals Atles, Sustainability Manager at Vattenfall Nederlands, as one of the distinguished speakers at the upcoming Innovation & Sustainability Summit 2023 on December 15, 2023. With 20 years of professional experience in the energy industry, Anne holds unique expertise in areas such as renewable energy optimization, BtB product development, and sustainability legislation. She has in recent years focused on Vattenfall's Human Rights impact, with initiatives like the Human Rights Impact Assessment, and ESG reporting such as CSRD. Join us for “Driving the Green Transition Together” to take part in Anne’s insightful perspectives on Vattenfall’s work on sustainability striving towards a fossil-free future. Read about the Summit and secure your seats This summit will bring together business leaders, entrepreneurs, politicians, and academics from Sweden and the Netherlands, in the presence of H.E. Ambassador of Sweden Mr. Johannes Oljelund. Following the Summit is the Swedish Chamber Annual Lucia Dinner, which will be a fantastic evening of celebration, entertainment, and music. Among the distinguished lineup of speakers for the event, we're also honored to have Mattias Frumerie and H.R.H Prince Jaime de Bourbon de Parme representing the political and diplomatic perspectives from Sweden and the Netherlands, as well as business leaders like Jon Abrahamsson Ring from Ikea and Douwe Dirks from NORNORM. Want to discover more about Vattenfall’s distinctive sustainability strategy? Dive into Vattenfall’s Sustainability Insight feature with Swedish Chamber Insights .