Sweden’s Services PMI rose to 57.4 in September 2026 from an upwardly revised 56.0 in August, reaching its highest level since November 2025. New orders made the largest positive contribution to the headline index (59.0 vs. 56.4 in August), followed by delivery times (62.7 vs. 60.9). The employment index also picked up (49.7 vs. 48.0), but remained below the 50-point threshold for the twelfth consecutive month. At the same time, the business activity index edged down slightly but stayed firmly in expansionary territory (57.3 vs. 57.8).
The sector faced renewed price pressures as well, with the supplier input price index climbing to 73.3 in September, the third-highest reading of 2026, from 62.1 in August. “The service economy has strengthened during the third quarter. However, higher cost pressures are simultaneously squeezing companies’ profit margins and increasing the need for cost adjustments, which may delay the recovery in the labor market,” said Jörgen Kennemar, who is responsible for the PMI analysis.
