2026-10-21
Wage formation report 2026
Since the latest manufacturing wage benchmark was set, wages have risen by an average of 3.5 per cent per year, exceeding the historical average since 2000. Nevertheless, real wages have grown slightly more slowly in Sweden than in the euro area. Productivity growth has accelerated since 2018.
Business sector productivity has risen strongly over the past two years and is expected to continue growing. At the same time, unemployment is high, both by international standards and relative to NIER’s assessment of the equilibrium unemployment rate. The picture of profitability is mixed: the business sector profit share exceeds its average since 2000, while the return on capital is somewhat low.
