In Sweden, seasonally adjusted industrial production increased by 1.3 percent in December last year compared to November, and was down 2.2 percent year on year in working day-adjusted figures, according to Statistics Sweden (SCB). According to SCB, on year-on-year basis industrial production decreased for the fourth consecutive month.
After the strong performance of Swedish industrial production in 2011, production again slowed down in 2012. Production decreased by 4.2 percent in 2012 compared to 2011, compared to a 6.8 percent year-on-year increase in 2011. In 2012, the largest production decrease was seen in the motor vehicle industry. In addition, total new orders from the domestic market and the export market in Swedish industry decreased by six percent in 2012 compared to 2011.
In the fourth quarter last year, Swedish basic metal output decreased by 4.4 percent quarter on quarter. In the period in question, the country's manufacture of fabricated metal products, except machinery and equipment output, fell by 5.3 percent compared to the previous quarter.
On the other hand, in the fourth quarter this year new orders for basic metals in Sweden decreased 0.2 percent compared to the third quarter of the year, mainly driven by the 7.1 percent decrease in domestic orders. Meanwhile, new orders for the Swedish fabricated metal products industry, except machinery and equipment, decreased by 2.8 percent in the fourth quarter compared to the previous quarter.