Both the broad OMXS index and the heavyweight OMXS30 index closed down 0.6 percent.
OMXS30 was weighed down by declines in engineering companies Sandvik and Atlas Copco, down 2.5 and 2.4 percent respectively. Heat pump manufacturer Nibe also fell 2.4 percent, as did technology trading company Addtech.
Winners included telecom and internet operators Tele2 and Telia, up 1.7 and 1.3 percent respectively. Mining company Boliden rose the most, up 2.0 percent.
Overnight, the major Asian stock markets rose. However, developments on the leading European stock exchanges were mixed: clearly up in London, while indices in Frankfurt and Paris fell a few tenths of a percent.
Oil prices rose from Tuesday's lows after the US imposed oil sanctions on Venezuela. A barrel of North Sea oil was trading just under $60 late Wednesday afternoon.
The krona strengthened slightly on the foreign exchange market. At the close of the stock exchange, one dollar cost 9.30 kronor and one euro 10.92 kronor.
