U.S. Companies and Brand America Remain Solid in Sweden Despite Global Uncertainty
Earlier this year, Novus conducted the Brand America Barometer for AmCham Sweden. Several measures of Swedish views of the U.S. remained stable compared with 2025. At the same time, perceptions of the U.S. as an innovative country and general positive attitudes rose. Novus identifies both increases as statistically significant.
AmCham Sweden has tracked Swedish attitudes toward the United States and American companies since 2019. The Barometer gives our members insight into how the Swedish public views the U.S. and its business community.
Investment and Growth in Transatlantic Cooperation
The U.S. is an important trading partner for Sweden, and American companies have a substantial local presence. According to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, preliminary U.S. direct investment in Sweden totaled about $72.5 billion at the end of 2025. The Transatlantic Economy 2026 estimates that majority-owned U.S. affiliates directly supported 101,661 jobs in Sweden in 2024.
These figures illustrate the scale of the economic relationship between Sweden and the United States. Continued cooperation between businesses on both sides of the Atlantic helps sustain that relationship.
U.S. investments are heavily concentrated in forward-looking sectors where Sweden and the United States share strong synergies:
Technology and IT: American tech companies continue to drive Sweden's digital transformation.
Defense and Security: Sweden’s NATO membership has further deepened defense policy and industrial cooperation.
Green Transition and Life Sciences: Life sciences, sustainable energy, and advanced manufacturing represent growing areas for transatlantic collaboration.
Brand America Barometer Executive Forum Briefing
The report's insights and their strategic implications for the business community were unpacked in greater detail during AmCham Sweden’s Executive Forum: Brand America Barometer on September 23. During an exclusive briefing hosted by Diplomat Communications and Tale, Torbjörn Sjöström, Chairperson and former CEO of Novus, alongside David Landes, Director of Corporate Storytelling at Tale, explored the survey findings.
The discussion focused on how Swedish attitudes toward the U.S. and American companies are evolving. For leaders working across the Atlantic, these findings offer context for how their businesses are perceived in Sweden and where building trust may require continued attention.
Long-Term Trust and the Way Forward
The Barometer gives a mixed picture of Swedish public opinion. Some views of the United States improved in 2026, while negative attitudes and confidence in U.S.-headquartered companies remained unchanged from 2025. These results remind us that shifts in public opinion take time and that trust cannot be taken for granted.
Swedish and American companies continue to work together through long-term partnerships, local investment, and shared projects. Those relationships are built on a strong foundation of trust. AmCham Sweden helps turn that trust into practical cooperation, bringing our business community together, strengthening connections across the Atlantic, and working with members and partners to address barriers to trade and investment. That work will continue to matter as Swedish and American businesses build the next chapter of the transatlantic relationship together.