Danish Economy – Week 17 2025

Our money

📈 Still growing strong. Denmark hit another jobs record in February 2025 with more than 3.046 million people employed, an increase of 2,400 from the month before. Employment has grown by 33,100 since last year, driven mostly by the private sector. Despite a slight increase in unemployment in March (500 more full-time jobseekers), the jobless rate remains low at 2.9%.

📉 We lose confidence despite a solid economy. Consumer confidence in Denmark has dropped to its lowest since 1980, with many worried about the future, especially due to global tensions and trade threats from Donald Trump. A new survey shows pessimism about the national economy for this coming year, hitting record lows, even though key indicators like employment, inflation, and growth remain strong. Experts say the mood is more about fear than fact, and while some may spend less, rising wages are helping maintain purchasing power.

👶 Motherhood still hits women’s careers harder. A new analysis by Dansk Industri shows that two years after having their first child, only 49% of mothers are back to full-time work compared to 83% of fathers. This gap hasn’t changed much in a decade. The result? Lower earnings, slower career growth, and reduced pensions for women. The study doesn’t yet reflect the impact of the 2022 parental leave reform, but it highlights how deeply family decisions still shape gender inequality in the job market.

State of the markets

⚓ Denmark’s warship comeback. The government has announced plans to build a fleet of larger warships at home, triggering a billion DKK battle between Esbjerg, Odense, Skagen, and Frederikshavn. The goal? To rebuild Denmark’s naval industry and strengthen defense production. Critics worry about delays and costs, but supporters say building locally boosts jobs and ensures faster delivery. The first ships are expected by 2029.

🛡️ 4 billion DKK naval upgrade. A new defense deal boosts maritime security with 21 new Home Guard ships, four environmental and mine-laying vessels, and a high-tech surveillance ship to protect undersea infrastructure. The push is largely driven by fears of Russian sabotage in case of conflict. The package includes a return to coastal missile batteries and sensor cables on the seabed to detect threats.

🎓 We’re setting records in the EU PhD boom. Danish universities and companies are taking part in 52 new European PhD programs under the EU’s Doctoral Networks scheme, 12 of them led by Danish institutions. That’s a record, along with 260 million DKK in EU funding. DTU alone leads nine programs. The initiative boosts cross-border research and talent attraction. With a 14.18% success rate (above the EU average), Denmark now ranks fifth in Europe, just behind Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, and the UK.

💊 Denmark signs life science pact with Japan. In Tokyo, the Danish business minister and Japan’s economy minister signed a new agreement to boost public-private partnerships in life science. The sector is one of Denmark’s top exports, with hopes of reaching 350 billion DKK by 2030.

🐟 Denmark secures fish deal with China. During a trade mission in China, the Danish food minister signed three new agreements to boost exports of horse feed, malt barley, and wild-caught fish. The fish deal is a game changer: instead of species-by-species approval, all wild-caught fish from Denmark and Greenland now get market access at once. Fish and seafood have overtaken pork as Denmark’s top food export to China, making up 35% of the total.