Securities holdings in SEK

The Riksbank purchased securities in order to mitigate the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on the Swedish economy and to support the recovery and inflation. The Riksbank's program of SEK 700 billion for increased purchases of securities expired on 31 December 2021. The purchases in 2022 were aimed at compensating for securities that matured. As of 2023, no further purchases will be made. From 2023, the Riksbank dos not make any more purchases.

The securities bought by the Riksbank were government bonds, treasury bills, covered bonds (mortgage bonds), commercial papers, municipal bonds and corporate bonds. As from April 2023, the Riksbank is selling government bonds, see Sale of government bonds.

This page presents summaries of how the Riksbank's total holdings and total purchases of securities, broken down into the various asset types, have developed since the start of the purchases in March 2020. In addition, the change in holdings over the last month is reported, broken down into the various asset types. Finally, compiled information is reported about the Riksbank's holdings of various securities related to outstanding stock on the market of each of the securities. The holdings and purchases are reported in nominal amounts, that is, the value at maturity that is not affected by variation in market interest rates.

Holdings of securities

The Riksbank’s total holdings of securities. The holdings are the net sum of purchased securities, i.e. the total sum of securities minus sold (government bonds) and matured securities at each point in time. The holdings are reported in nominal amounts and is based on the transaction date for the Riksbank's purchase and sale of the bonds.

Holdings of securities

Figure: Holdings of securities

The diagram shows the Riksbank’s total holdings of securities at each point in time and are reported in nominal amounts. The figures are stated in SEK billions. Download the data from the chart by clicking on the arrow to the right, above the chart. Source: Sveriges Riksbank.

*The holdings of government bonds include the government bonds purchased by the Riksbank before March 2020 in accordance with the Executive Board’s decision in 2012, the government bonds purchased by the Riksbank since February 2015 in order to make monetary policy more expansionary and the government bonds purchased by the Riksbank since March 2020 as one of the coronavirus-related measures. In addition, the holdings of government bonds reflect the maturities that have occurred over the years and the sales initiated in April 2023.

Change in holdings of securities (SEK billions)
  Government bonds Treasury bills Covered bonds Municipal bonds Corporate bonds Commercial paper Total
Holdings per 31 January 2024 247.5 0 279.6 93.2 6.6 0 626.9
Maturing volume in February 2024 0 0 0 -1.5 -0.6 0 -2.1
Holdings per 29 February 2024 241.5 0 279.6

91.7

6.0 0 618.4

Purchases of securities during the Corona pandemic

Here, we present the Riksbank’s total purchases of securities at each point in time since the beginning of March 2020. The purchases are reported in nominal amounts and is based on the transaction date for the Riksbank's purchase of the bonds. Note that securities purchases ceased in December 2022 and the chart below has not be updated since then. 

Purchases of securities

Figure: Aggregate purchases of securities

The chart shows, at each point in time, the Riksbank's total securities purchases during the coronavirus pandemic in SEK billions and reported as nominal amounts. Download the data from the chart by clicking on the arrow to the right, above the chart. Source: Sveriges Riksbank

The Riksbank´s holdings of securities compared to the outstanding stock on the market

Here, we present the Riksbank's holdings of securities compared to the outstanding stock on the market. The outstanding stock shown in the diagram has been retrieved from Statistics Sweden (SCB). The outstanding stock for government bonds, treasury bills, covered bonds and municipal bonds shows the entire outstanding stock on the Swedish market. The outstanding stock for corporate bonds and corporate certificates shows the outstanding stock for so-called non-financial corporations in Swedish kronor. Only Swedish issuers are included in the figures.

The Riksbank´s holdings of securities compared to the outstanding stock on the market

Figure: The Riksbank´s holdings of securities compared to the outstanding stock on the market

The diagram shows the Riksbank's holdings for each security type as compared to the total outstanding stock for each security type on the Swedish market with one months lag. The figures are shown in billion Swedish kronor. Source: Sveriges Riksbank and Statistics Sweden (SCB).

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Updated 01/03/2024