Norges Bank
Norway SWF suffers weakest quarter in two years
Government Pension Fund Global returns 0.1% in third quarter following losses on European stocks; acquired several properties in EU and US
Bank of Canada will consult public on future banknote designs
Bank of Canada launches a nationwide consultation on banknote design principles, after a report concluding that Canadians should have increased participation in the process
Norges Bank's Olsen defends ‘leaning against the wind' policy
Noting historically high household indebtedness, Norwegian governor says central bank cannot rely on assumption that new regulations will eliminate risk of financial stress
IMF calls on Nordics to keep housing markets in check
Article IV reports warn Norges Bank will eventually have to normalise policy rate above inflation target and call for Swedish macro-pru measures targeted at households
Norges Bank paper finds ‘booming' resource sector has ‘significant' productivity spillovers
Working paper also finds evidence of two-speed economies, with non-traded industries growing at a faster pace than traded
Norway SWF manager doubles leadership team
Norges Bank Investment Management sets up separate ‘leader group' for real estate investments; wealth fund returns 3.3% ($31 billion) in second quarter
Norway governor sees greater role for central bank in new 'Nibor' framework
Øystein Olsen sees greater powers for Norges Bank over the interbank rate framework, which has 'obvious weaknesses' and should be overhauled 'as soon as possible'
Norwegian SWF plans $27bn expansion into real estate
New focus on real estate investments part of Norway's sovereign wealth fund strategy through 2016, which will see it hire 230 more staff and employ more external managers
Norges Bank says rates could stay low for longer
Norway's central bank held rates steady today and now projects it to stay lower for longer; banks may be required to build up bigger counter-cyclical buffers
Borio: current account is a ‘badly inadequate' measure of financial risk
BIS director says still not enough attention is paid to capital account but adds build-up of vulnerabilities also requires looking directly at balance sheets of cross-border institutions
Norges Bank poised to complete shift from FX buyer to seller before year's end
The Norwegian central bank sends strong signal it will make no foreign exchange purchases this year; analysts predict bank will make ‘symbolic shift' to net-seller in Q4
Monetary policy shock hits Norway house prices hard
Meanwhile, impact on household credit is muted, according to Norges Bank working paper; adds findings are consistent with small quarterly refinancing rate of mortgage stock
Norway SWF axes JP Morgan as global custodian
Citi has secured custody responsibility for Norway's Government Pension Fund Global's $850 billion global equities portfolio
Fixed income drives Q1 returns for Norway SWF
Norway's huge sovereign wealth fund earned a 1.7% return in the first quarter of this year, with all asset classes solid if unspectacular
Norges Bank governor says clear 'reaction pattern' lessens attention on forward guidance
Øystein Olsen tells Columbia University audience the better central banks become at communicating their reaction pattern, the less attention their forward guidance will receive
Norway hands SWF ethical investment responsibilities to central bank
Finance ministry disbands external ethical investment committee, putting responsibility for decisions with Norges Bank Investment Management
People: New deputy for Norges Bank; deputies depart in India and Kyrgyzstan
Jon Nicolaisen will start a six-year term as deputy governor of Norges Bank on April 1; RBI's Chakrabarty steps aside early; and more
Norway oil fund sets sights on more real estate
The Government Pension Fund Global saw 16% return in 2013, driven by equities gaining 26.3% while fixed income didn't budge; real estate is a growth area
Norges Bank review calls on MPC to relinquish control of wealth fund
Annual report published today raises ‘serious concern' over monetary policy committee's capacity to oversee $830 billion wealth fund with most members having other full-time jobs
Norwegian governor backs SWF rotation into higher-yielding equities and real estate
Øystein Olsen says it is ‘natural' for the country's pension fund to invest in different types of real assets; talks up the possibility of an above-average market return
Riksbank unveils organisational shake-up
Three new units streamlining asset management and payment operations will come into being on March 1; also announces transfer of Skr3.3 billion to Treasury
‘Normal' Norway has no need of forward guidance, says monetary policy chief
Head of Norges Bank's monetary policy division says interest rate forecasts are all the forward guidance his country needs, as the crisis did not hit Norway to the same extent
Norges Bank issues ‘secret' advice on prudential regulation
Norwegian finance ministry will publish central bank recommendations on countercyclical buffers only once it has decided whether or not to follow the advice; bank holds interest rates at 1.5%
Design of Norwegian banknotes charts new waters
Norges Bank reveals upcoming banknote series will share a maritime theme, reflecting the country's 83,000km coastline; notes will not feature human portraiture