Financial markets

In a government bill submitted to the Riksdag last week, a new Act is proposed concerning state aid for companies looking to invest in new nuclear power reactors. A memorandum that will be referred for consultation today proposes supplementary provisions on how companies’ applications for aid should be structured.

Integrating and further developing the European capital market is a priority for the European Union and for Sweden, as it could provide households with better returns on their savings and businesses with a more diversified set of sources for funding. Sweden has what is seen by many as a well-functioning and deep capital market. That was not always the case, and this article seeks to provide an assessment of the Swedish journey with the purpose of contributing to the ongoing European discussion. While there is no claim to portray the full story and all relevant aspects, the article seeks to outline some of the components that have been of great importance in bringing the Swedish capital market to the point where it is today.

Sweden is going to purchase hybrid bonds from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) valued at approximately SEK 100 million. This investment is part of the Government’s strategy to modernise and streamline development assistance and promote sustainable economic development in partner countries.

Today, the Government adopted new guidelines for the Swedish National Debt Office’s central government debt management in 2025. The Swedish National Debt Office will continue to issue inflation-linked bonds, but the outstanding volume will be reduced. The aim is inflation-linked debt of around SEK 80 billion by the end of 2029. In addition, from now on, the central government debt’s term to maturity will be measured in average time to refixing (ATR).

On Wednesday, 13 March, Minister for Financial Markets Niklas Wykman and the President of Financial Task Force (FATF) T. Raja Kumar will hold a press briefing.

Today, the Government adopted guidelines for the Swedish National Debt Office’s central government debt management. The guideline decision for 2024 does not entail any steering changes compared with the previous year.

The importance of maintaining active competition enforcement with regard to markets and companies in times of crisis was a recurring message during the European Competition Day conference.

The Government adopted guidelines for the Swedish National Debt Office’s national debt management. The guideline decision for 2023 amends the steering of national debt composition to gradually phase out national debt foreign currency exposure, with a target value of zero from 2027. Progress will be evaluated against a constant rate of reduction for the period 2023–2026. Furthermore, the reporting of private market borrowing results will cease.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) will conduct a review of the financial sector and the work of the authorities on financial stability, a so-called FSAP (Financial Sector Assessment Program) in 2022. FSAPs are conducted regularly for countries with systemically important financial markets. In its report, the IMF will highlight any flaws and risks in the system and propose measures to deal with them.

Swedish National Debt Office is instructed by the Government to issue green bonds in 2020 at the latest. The framework differentiates between green bonds and other bonds, and will demonstrate how the proceeds from the bonds are linked to the green expenditures in the central government budget. The framework was presented 5 June 2020.

The remit of the inquiry has been to make a comprehensive analysis of the implications of the potential participation of Sweden in the European banking union.

The Nordic and Baltic financial stability authorities have conducted a joint financial crisis management exercise. The exercise was held from 22 to 23 January 2019 and involved 31 authorities from Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Sweden as well as relevant European Union authorities. A staff member of the International Monetary Fund observed the simulation.