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85131
Increased imports in services
statistikk
2012-09-17T10:00:00.000Z
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
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External trade in services, Q2 2012

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Increased imports in services

Non-financial enterprises imported services for NOK 37 billion in the 2nd quarter of 2012. This was a NOK 3.5 billion increase, or 10.5 per cent, from the previous quarter.

External trade in services, by continent. Per cent

For the first two quarters, Norway’s import of services came to NOK 71 billion. In the 2nd quarter, the import amounted to NOK 37 billion, which was a 16 per cent increase from the same period in 2011.

The export of services in the 2nd quarter grew by 11 per cent compared to the same quarter the year before. In the same quarter of 2012, exports came to NOK 30 billion, and were NOK 900 million higher than the 1st quarter of 2012. This caused a trade deficit in the non-financial sector of NOK 7.5 billion. The figures presented in this article only relate to non-financial enterprises and exclude the shipping industry.

High import of business services

Business services increased by 18.6 per cent in the 2nd quarter and ended at NOK 8 billion. Import of services related to sea, coastal and water transport, contract work and repairs, and services related to oil and gas also contributed to high import figures for this quarter. Together, these four service groups grew by NOK 3.2 billion from the 1st to 2nd quarter.

The Norwegian export of services is still dominated by business services, which in the 2nd quarter accounted for more than 30 per cent of total exports. These services rose by 13.5 per cent in the 2nd quarter and came to NOK 9.4 billion. Services related to oil and gas, which is Norway’s second largest export group, showed a 13 per cent decrease in the same period.

1 External trade in services for Q2 2012, by service type. NOK million
Service type 2011 Q2 2011 Q3 2011 Q4 2011 Q1 2012 Q2 2012
Balance (Export-Import) -24 271 -5 165 -7 621 -9 867 -4 915 -7 513
             
Export total  115 328 26 793 28 569 33 846 28 744 29 655
Contract work and repairs 14 184 3 446 3 412 4 304 3 108 3 511
Services related to oil and gas exploration excluding surveying 20 005 4 736 4 286 5 990 6 430 5 616
Building and construction projects 1 189  309  452 97  365  338
Wholesale trade and intermediate trade 3 575  838  933 1 012  626  636
Transport by rail and other land transport 3 588  739 1 167  818  848 1 117
Sea and coastal water transport 4 639 1 273 1 123 1 156 1 237 1 282
Air transport 2 675  322  899  749  736  626
Supporting and auxiliary transport activities, travel agency activities 6 403 1 285 2 245 1 253 1 140 1 287
Post and telecommunication 7 162 1 606 1 896 1 845 1 423 1 156
Renting of transportation, machinery and equipment 1 397  294  328  456 1 051 1 029
IT services 7 681 2 256 1 934 1 602 2 087 2 008
Research and development (R&D) 3 132  601  625 1 013  498  654
Business services 34 620 7 909 8 132 11 892 8 259 9 383
Leisure activities, cultural services and sports 1 086  214  238  418  205  218
Other services 3 993  965  899 1 241  731  794
             
$Import total  139 599 31 958 36 190 43 713 33 659 37 168
Contract work and repairs 9 927 1 899 3 090 3 249 2 305 2 931
Services related to oil and gas exploration excluding surveying 35 028 7 943 8 699 11 687 9 399 10 004
Building and construction projects 5 131 1 093 1 092 2 295 1 496 1 577
Wholesale trade and intermediate trade 3 605  691 1 242  905 1 004  534
Transport by rail and other land transport 6 743 1 842 1 642 1 972 1 336 1 631
Sea and coastal water transport 5 939 1 798 1 311 1 693 1 342 2 071
Air transport 2 250  514  604  648  594  595
Supporting and auxiliary transport activities, travel agency activities 12 584 2 931 4 097 3 179 2 213 2 075
Post and telecommunication 6 129 1 286 1 463 1 828 1 375 1 641
Renting of transportation, machinery and equipment 2 428  537  553  751  836  649
IT services 8 545 1 760 2 091 2 829 2 172 2 234
Research and development (R&D) 2 288  476  566  807  583  767
Business services 29 656 7 219 7 366 9 408 6 746 8 003
Leisure activities, cultural services and sports 2 881  799  704  671  689  683
Other services 6 463 1 170 1 670 1 791 1 569 1 773
Source:  Statistics Norway.

Increased imports from the manufacturing industry

Looking at the major industry activities, the manufacturing industry grew by 39 per cent from the 1st to 2nd quarter of 2012. Also, enterprises within professional, scientific and technical activities increased their import by 30 per cent in the same period. Despite growth in the aforementioned industries, it is still the mining and quarrying industry that is the dominating sector, with a share of nearly 36 per cent of total imports.

The largest Norwegian export industry activity continued to be in enterprises within professional, scientific and technical activities. This sector accounted for 28 per cent of total service exports, which corresponds to NOK 8 billion.

2 External trade in services for Q2 2012, by major industry activity. NOK million
Major industry activities 2011 Q2 2011 Q3 2011 Q4 2011 Q1 2012 Q2 2012
Balance (Export-Import) -24 271 -5 165 -7 621 -9 867 -4 915 -7 513
             
Export, total  115 328 26 793 28 569 33 846 28 744 29 655
Mining and quarrying 12 678 3 142 2 916 3 807 5 612 5 423
Manufacturing 27 381 6 949 6 012 8 679 5 504 4 626
Construction  415 93  106  122  100  159
Wholesale and retail trade 5 893 1 262 1 311 2 059 1 071 1 307
Transport and storage 12 208 2 304 3 936 2 677 2 644 2 927
Information and communication 18 027 4 636 4 089 4 982 4 241 4 105
Professional, scientific, technical activities 27 038 5 684 7 048 8 269 7 059 8 208
Administrative and support service activities 7 093 1 491 1 848 2 170 2 092 2 405
Other industry activities 4 597 1 232 1 303 1 081  421  495
             
Import, total  139 599 31 958 36 190 43 713 33 659 37 168
Mining and quarrying 42 501 10 083 10 865 13 827 12 866 13 200
Manufacturing 19 478 4 470 4 828 7 134 3 417 4 755
Construction 2 164  495  561  678  544  557
Wholesale and retail trade 11 999 2 037 4 106 3 399 2 494 2 146
Transport and storage 13 927 3 581 3 202 4 103 3 345 2 822
Information and communication 18 177 4 193 4 202 5 239 4 032 4 680
Professional, scientific, technical activities 16 406 3 587 4 546 4 866 3 802 4 951
Administrative and support service activities 10 680 2 335 2 959 3 168 2 573 3 259
Other industry activities 4 269 1 177  921 1 299  586  798
Source:  Statistics Norway.

Most trade with EU countries

With regard to Norway’s most important trade partners, the EU countries outside the Nordic region still have the leading position. Countries from this area bought 35 per cent of Norway’s total export, which corresponds to NOK 10.4 billion. The import of services from this region accounted for 45.5 per cent or NOK 17 billion.

Changes in the table on external trade in services, by main industry activity

As from the 1st quarter of 2012, three new group divisions were made in the table main industry activity, which are 1) Construction 2) Professional, scientific, technical activities and 3) Administrative and support service activities. This regrouping has made the table more detailed. Tables in previously published articles are therefore not directly comparable with tables from the 1st quarter of 2012.

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

About the statistics

Since the first quarter of 2011, statistics on external trade in services have been 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 its 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).