During the first quarter of 2010, exports of goods from Sweden increased for the first time since world trade was hit by the financial crisis. Even so, the volume of exports was still 10 to 15 per cent lower than in the same period of 2007 and 2008. Swedish exports have been surprisingly strong over the long term – services, IT and telecoms have taken over from traditional industries which has made the export sector less vulnerable to international fluctuations. Exports from other G7 countries have not fared so well; comparing the fourth quarter of 2009 with the fourth quarter of 2008, exports from Italy decreased 12 percent, exports from Germany 3 per cent, and from USA and Japan 1 per cent each.