Sweden's business confidence index rose to 104.3 in October 2025, marking an increase from the revised figure of 100.6 recorded in September. This is the highest level observed since July 2022, indicating robust business sentiment. The positive shift was primarily driven by increased optimism within the trade sector, although confidence in the construction industry continued to be weak. Demand conditions saw little change from the prior month (-27 vs -28) and generally remained below historical averages across most sectors, despite trade activity maintaining near-normal levels. Although there were reports of reduced employment in the past quarter (-5 vs -4), businesses anticipate a modest rise in hiring (3 vs 1). The proportion of companies experiencing labor shortages stayed consistent and was below the long-term average. Recently, sales prices have exceeded normal growth, and expectations for further price increases (14 vs 13) remain high across many sectors.