In Sweden and Norway, the months of July and August bring a slowdown in corporate activity. Many industries cut back on operations, decision-making slows, and trading volume drops across the board.
But some businesses continue to perform—and even thrive—despite the seasonal quiet.
Knowing how to identify these resilient companies gives traders a valuable edge when volume thins and volatility creeps in.
What Makes a Company "Summer-Resilient"?
There are certain attributes that allow firms to maintain momentum during the Nordic vacation period:
- Essential services or utilities with steady demand
- Consumer staples and grocery chains that operate year-round
- Digital or subscription-based businesses unaffected by holiday cycles
- Seasonal demand alignment (e.g. tourism, summer retail, home renovation)
Historical Indicators of Summer Strength
Historical performance in the OMX Stockholm and Oslo Børs indices shows a recurring pattern:
- Retail chains and food producers show less volatility and higher summer volume
- Consumer-focused fintech and telecoms maintain cash flow regardless of season
- Construction supply and renovation retailers see increased activity in July
By backtesting sector ETFs or stock-specific summer data from the last 5–10 years, traders can narrow down high-probability watchlists.
What to Consider: Nordic Summer Resilience List
- ICA Gruppen, Axfood, Orkla — consistent grocery demand
- Pandora, Clas Ohlson — strong summer consumer flow
- Gjensidige Forsikring, Telia — recurring subscription income
- Byggmax, Beijer Ref — summer-linked home improvement and cooling solutions
- Scandic Hotels, Hurtigruten —tourism-dependent but often surge in mid-July
These companies often show operational stability or seasonal tailwinds that protect them from summer dips.
Trading Strategy Trends
- Focus on relative strength against index benchmarks
- Navigate technical analysis to spot breakouts in thin-volume setups
- Consider mean-reversion setups for overextended pullbacks
- Explore Skilling’s alert tools to monitor entry points while on vacation
Trading CFDs allows flexibility to position for short-term summer movements and/or hedge against broader market softness.
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Final Thought: Seasonal Preparation Wins
Summer is not the time to chase momentum in illiquid markets. Instead, it’s a great time to shift focus to companies with:
- Defensive balance sheets
- High summer revenues
- Operational consistency during low-news periods
Building a resilient watchlist before July begins is a strategic move for traders looking to stay sharp and selective.
