Business Sweden’s Export Managers’ Index (EMI) continued to rise in the second quarter despite uncertain times. The index climbed by 8.2 points to 59.0 in the second quarter, from 50.8 in the first quarter. This result is well above the historical average of 55.4 for the period 2007–2026.
For the first time in a year, the EMI current subindex rose above the 50-mark, jumping by 8.3 points to 54.0. EMI forecast, the subindex for the forward-looking issues, rose by 8.1 points to 64.0 in the second quarter, from 55.9 in the previous quarter.
“The improved view of current export performance comes from large companies and is not necessarily shared by small and medium-sized enterprises. But overall, the survey reflects a very positive sentiment,” says Lena Sellgren, Chief Economist at Business Sweden.
The index for expected export demand increased markedly across all regions except the Middle East, Türkiye and Africa, where it fell well below the 50-mark.
In all, the survey indicates that global uncertainty is not weighing on the prospects for Swedish export companies in the next three months. The biggest risk facing the global economy is the war in the Middle East and its effects on the energy market. A prolonged conflict will severely impact global growth and Swedish exports.
Download the report for a full overview of the survey results.
The next Export Managers’ Index will be published on 27 August 2026.
Export manager's index Q2 2026
About the analysis
Business Sweden’s Export Managers’ Index is a quarterly index showing the current mood of Swedish exporting companies as well as their near-future outlook for exports to the regions of the world.
The index is a measure of companies’ perceived export demand in the market, where a level above 50 indicates market expansion and a level below 50 indicates market contraction. The index can be split into subindices for current and forecast export demand, and contains information on export sales, expected regional demand and perceived order stock.
The survey is conducted by Statistics Sweden (SCB). Business Sweden’s Export Managers’ Index is a leading indicator of the development of Sweden’s economy.
Publishing dates 2026
Below are the Swedish publishing dates for the EMI report. The English version is available on the website a few days later.
7 May: EMI Q2
27 August: EMI Q3
5 November: EMI Q4
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