Follow the economy across the Nordic countries and economic changes worldwide.
Economic Outlook
Swedish economic outlook: Thicker ice
Sweden will see weak economic growth in the near term. Inflation will likely normalise and interest rates go down this year, which will provide support and lower the risks of a deep recession. However, the interest rate level will stay higher than before the pandemic.
Central banks will be reversing their monetary policies and start cutting rates in the coming months. The weak economic outlook and resultant declining price pressure trend are the biggest reasons for the turnaround.
High interest rates have sent the Finnish economy into a recession. The outlook for the first half of the year is unfavourable for private consumption, construction and exports alike.
Finland is in desperate need of investments in education, research and development in order to boost productivity growth, which has stalled for the past 15 years, to being on par with peer countries.
Chief Economist's Corner: A challenging year lies ahead
Developments in the world economy and the financial markets in 2023 were fortunately much better than feared. Now a new year awaits us, which already promises to be very challenging, according to Nordea Group Chief Economist Helge Pedersen.
On the ground in China: Chief economist finds gloomier outlook
Chief Economist Tuuli Koivu recently returned from a week in China – her first trip there since before the COVID-19 pandemic. Local sentiment on the Chinese economy was quite different this time around. She shares her key takeaways and updated outlook.
Helge J. Pedersen: The curious economist always chasing new knowledge
As a young student, Helge J. Pedersen got completely hooked on economics. The Nordea expert never looked back, and today he is one of Denmark’s most well-known economists. But his passion for football and the world of sports never fades.
Nordea Chief Economist: It's too early to declare victory over inflation
So far, the global economy has been very resilient to the significant monetary policy tightening. Inflation is still high, however, and there is a good chance monetary policy will need to be tightened further.
A cold wind is still blowing through the Swedish economy. Tight monetary policy will likely gradually impact the domestic economy and Sweden’s important trading partners. Some relief is expected once inflation falls and policy rates are lowered.
Finland’s investments in the green transition continue, with more money pouring into low-emission industrial production and electric transportation, in addition to wind power.
Central banks are still concerned about inflation, which is slowing down, but is still above the target level. Consequently, it will take time before monetary policy will be eased, and the global outlook continues to be weak.
Economic growth was healthy in the first half of the year, but the outlook going forward is clearly weaker. Higher interest rates will continue to put pressure on consumers, and residential construction. Demand for exports has also deteriorated as global economic growth has slowed down.