Tailwind from strong global markets

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Norway's portfolio investments abroad amounted to NOK 10 235 billion at end-2017, an increase of 12 per cent from end-2016. Investments in Sweden and China stood out with a solid growth in 2017.

A positive development in world financial markets contributed to the rise in Norway's total portfolio investments abroad by NOK 1 096 billion from end-2016 to end-2017, according to updated figures from Portfolio investment abroad.

A leap for Asian markets and Sweden

Strong share price growth characterised the year of 2017 in Asian stock markets, among others. This growth, combined with net purchases of securities, contributed to an increase in portfolio investments in China by NOK 67 billion to NOK 202 billion by the end of the year. Japan is still the most important single country in Asia for Norwegian investors.

During the same period, Norway's total portfolio investments in Sweden increased by NOK 102 billion to NOK 443 billion at the end of the year. Of this increase, NOK 73 billion can be attributed to investments in bonds. Norwegian banks' purchases of Swedish debt securities are the main reason for larger stocks of securities in 2017.

Figure 1. Investments in selected countries

2016 2017
Japan 650 766
Sweden 341 443
China 135 202

Change in the portfolio composition

The distribution of the asset classes equity and debt securities was 64 and 36 per cent respectively at end-2017, compared to 60 and 40 per cent at end-2016. This shift in composition is mainly due to a change in the Government Pension Fund Global investments’ mandate on 1 January 2017.

Figure 2. Asset allocation over time

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
Equity 40.405 45.315 38.853 54.364 55.718 53.997 55.901 57.769 58.205 58.640 59.998 64.000
Debt securities 59.595 54.685 61.147 45.636 44.282 46.003 44.099 42.231 41.795 41.360 40.002 36.000

The Government Pension Fund Global was the largest investor

The government sector, with the Government Pension Fund Global as the dominant investor, was the largest contributor, with NOK 8 372 billion in portfolio investments. Despite a net withdrawal from the fund by the Norwegian government in 2017, government investments increased by 13 per cent. A positive development in world financial markets and a moderate weakening of the Norwegian currency contributed to this.

Figure 3. Total portfolio investments compared with Central Government

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
Portfolio investment, total 2721 2944 3663 3757 4283 4442 4996 6413 7904 9066 9136 10235
Central Government 1915 2092 2773 2753 3175 3297 3811 5048 6341 7362 7427 8372

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