66172_not-searchable
/en/utenriksokonomi/statistikker/uhtjenester/kvartal
66172
Imports continued to rise in 3rd quarter
statistikk
2012-02-07T10:00:00.000Z
External economy
en
uhtjenester, External trade in services, import, export, non-financial enterprises, service types (for example sea transport, petroleum services, research and development), trade, industry groups (for example transport, business services, mining and quarrying)External trade , External economy
false

External trade in services, Q3 2011

Content

Published:

This is an archived release.

Go to latest release

Imports continued to rise in 3rd quarter

Norwegian non-financial enterprises, excluding enterprises operating in ocean transport, imported services for NOK 37.5 billion in the 3rd quarter of 2011. This was an increase of nearly 18 per cent from the previous quarter.

For the first three quarters, Norway’s import of services amounted to NOK 97 billion, while exports of services came to NOK 81.2 billion. This caused a trade deficit in the non-financial sector of NOK 15.8 billion in the 3rd quarter.

Business services dominated the export of services

In the 3rd quarter of 2011, Norway‘s export of services amounted to NOK 28.6 billion compared to NOK 26.5 billion in the 2nd quarter. Business services still dominates the export in the 3rd quarter with a share of 29 per cent. The increase in this type of service was 9.5 per cent in the 3rd quarter and amounted NOK 8.3 billion. Export of services related to oil and gas exploration fell in the 3rd quarter after two consecutive quarters in decline, and ended at NOK 4.4 billion. While services related to air transport, travel agency activities and transport by rail and other land transport only accounted for 14 per cent of the total export, these services rose the most in the 3rd quarter.

The development in the import of services had an upward trend in the 3rd quarter. Import of services related to oil and gas exploration reached a value of NOK 9 billion in the 3rd quarter. This type of service dominated the imports and accounted for 24 per cent of total imports from abroad. Business services rose by 22 per cent, and came to NOK 8.2 billion in the 3rd quarter.

External trade in services for Q3 2011, by service type, NOK million
Service types Year to date 1. kvartal 2011 2. kvartal 2011 3. kvartal 2011
Balance (Export-Import) -15 826 -1 667 -5 292 -8 867
         
Export total 81 212 26 008 26 570 28 634
Contract work and repairs 9 883 3 020 3 425 3 438
Services related to oil and gas exploration excluding surveying 14 084 4 991 4 644 4 449
Building and construction projects  901  278  259  364
Wholesale trade and intermediate trade 2 565  789  847  929
Transport by rail and other land transport 2 614  863  667 1 084
Sea and coastal water transport 3 501 1 086 1 267 1 148
Air transport 1 798  702  323  773
Supporting and auxiliary transport activities, travel agency activities 5 069 1 614 1 324 2 131
Post and telecommunication 5 436 1 812 1 607 2 017
Renting of transportation, machinery and equipment  922  319  309  294
IT services 5 934 1 897 2 165 1 872
Research and development (R & D) 2 112  877  584  651
Business services 22 484 6 495 7 632 8 357
Leisure activities, cultural services and sports  659  223  201  235
Other services 3 250 1 044 1 313  893
         
Import total 97 038 27 675 31 862 37 501
Contract work and repairs 6 666 1 688 1 883 3 095
Services related to oil and gas exploration excluding surveying 23 641 6 746 7 950 8 945
Building and construction projects 2 826  651 1 066 1 109
Wholesale trade and intermediate trade 2 733  786  705 1 242
Transport by rail and other land transport 4 899 1 284 1 791 1 824
Sea and coastal water transport 4 255 1 061 1 876 1 318
Air transport 1 605  492  503  610
Supporting and auxiliary transport activities, travel agency activities 9 426 2 303 2 979 4 144
Post and telecommunication 4 583 1 717 1 331 1 535
Renting of transportation, machinery and equipment 1 594  514  527  553
IT services 5 652 1 859 1 742 2 051
Research and development (R & D) 1 479  426  486  567
Business services 20 186 5 250 6 728 8 208
Leisure activities, cultural services and sports 2 105  706  800  599
Other services 5 389 2 190 1 498 1 701
Source:  Statistics Norway.

Decline in export of services from the manufacturing industry

Looking at the major industry activities, export within the sector professional, scientific, technical and administrative support services is still the largest, also in the 3rd quarter. This sector grew by nearly 21 per cent in the 3rd quarter and had a share of 30 per cent of the export of services. The second largest sector; the manufacturing industry, fell in the 3rd quarter by 13.5 per cent. Enterprises within the transport and storage industry, on the other hand, increased their export from NOK 2.2 billion in the 2nd quarter to NOK 3.8 billion in the 3rd quarter.

With regard to imports, the mining and quarrying sector dominated all three quarters in 2011. So far in 2011, the import of services from this industry amounted to NOK 28.8 billion, and came to NOK 11 billion in the 3rd quarter. The sector professional, scientific, technical and administrative support services grew by 44.5 per cent in the 3rd quarter, from NOK 5.9 billion to NOK 8.6 billion. We find the largest increase in the wholesale and retail industry, which came to NOK 4.2 billion in the 3rd quarter from NOK 1.9 billion in the 2nd quarter.

External trade in services for Q3 2011, by major industry activity, NOK million
Major industry activities Year to date 1. kvartal 2011 2. kvartal 2011 3. kvartal 2011
Balance (Export-Import) -15 826 -1 667 -5 292 -8 867
         
Export total 81 212 26 008 26 570 28 634
Mining and quarrying 8 888 2 813 3 041 3 034
Manufacturing 18 710 5 761 6 945 6 004
Wholesale and retail trade 3 894 1 254 1 128 1 512
Transport and storage 9 378 3 272 2 226 3 880
Information and communication 13 037 4 252 4 590 4 195
Professional, scientific, technical and Administrative and support service activities 23 444 7 599 7 178 8 667
Other industry activities 3 862 1 057 1 462 1 343
         
Import total 97 038 27 675 31 862 37 501
Mining and quarrying 28 820 7 650 10 098 11 072
Manufacturing 12 281 3 064 4 556 4 661
Wholesale and retail trade 8 584 2 448 1 899 4 237
Transport and storage 9 933 3 035 3 540 3 358
Information and communication 13 071 4 708 4 223 4 140
Professional, scientific, technical and Administrative and support service activities 19 989 5 447 5 951 8 591
Other industry activities 4 360 1 322 1 596 1 442
Source:  Statistics Norway.

Largest trade with EU countries

EU countries outside the Nordic region are still Norway’s most important trade partners, when considering both imports and exports. This area accounted for 35 per cent of exports and 41.5 per cent of imports, which corresponds to NOK 10.1 billion and NOK 15.6 billion respectively. The Nordic countries are also important trade markets for Norway. Our export of services to these countries accounted for 22 per cent in the 3rd quarter, whilst imports came to 30 per cent. From the two consecutive quarters, figures from the 3rd quarter showed a stable development in external trade in services.

External trade in services, by continent. Per cent

The statistics on external trade in services are undergoing a change in methodology. The figures for the shipping industry are for now taken out of the quarterly publications.

About the statistics

From the first quarter of 2011, statistics on external trade in services will be published quarterly.

This publication uses SIC2007 (Standard Industrial Classification) for grouping trade industries, while previously published articles used SIC2002. This can lead to some changes in the grouping of trade industries and difficulties may arise when comparing these two units.

The statistics on external trade in services for non-financial enterprises are part of the statistical basis for Norway’s Balance of Payments. These statistics do not include trade in services for financial enterprises, households, non-profit organisations and public administration. The figures presented here are therefore not comparable with the figures presented in Balance of Payments - Current and Capital Account (cf. About the statistics).

The statistics on external trade in services were established in 2005 when Norway’s central bank discontinued their foreign payment statistics, which were an important basis for the Balance of Payments. Figures on external trade in services regarding geographical specification are also included.

The purpose of the statistics on external trade in services is to provide information about the service flows between Norway and other countries. Income and expenditure in connection with exports and imports of services to and from other countries are important economic indicators both in describing structural changes and in monitoring economic trends (cf. About the statistics on limitations and other conditions).