2018.03.2705:37:00UTC+00Sweden Trade Deficit Widens In February

Sweden's foreign trade deficit increased in February from a year ago, as imports grew faster than exports, figures from Statistics Sweden showed Tuesday.

The trade deficit rose to SEK 3.4 billion in February from SEK 1.2 billion in the corresponding month last year.

Both exports and imports expanded by 8.0 percent and 10.0 percent, respectively in February from a year earlier.

Trade with countries outside the EU resulted in a surplus of SEK 12.8 billion, while EU trade showed a deficit of SEK 16.2 billion.

On a seasonally adjusted basis, the net trade deficit totaled SEK 2.9 billion in February versus SEK 1.8 billion shortfall in January.

Another report from the statistical office showed that producer price inflation accelerated to a five-month high of 2.8 percent in February from 2.5 percent in the previous month.

Month-on-month, producer prices dropped 0.5 percent from January, when it rose by 0.8 percent.