Latest News

Norway's wealth fund can begin offering Russian stocks, finance ministry states

Norway's $1.8 trillion sovereign wealth fund, the world's largest, can begin selling stocks it holds in Russian companies, as long as it complies with worldwide sanctions, the deputy finance minister told Reuters on Friday.

Permission to offer the fund's Russian stocks is given on the condition that the sale can be carried out in line with suitable sanctions, Ellen Reitan said in an email.

The Norwegian finance ministry bought a halt to all deals in the fund's Russian properties soon after Moscow's. invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and stated at the time that. the ultimate goal was to divest its holdings.

The fund has actually up until now been not able from unloading Russian. properties because it is not allowed to offer to counterparties. under U.S. or EU sanctions.

On Wednesday, the reserve bank, which handles the fund,. asked the Norwegian finance ministry for consent to offer. parts of its Russian portfolio when possible, saying separated. transactions if and when divestment chances emerge is. currently the only method to sell parts of the portfolio.

Wednesday's letter did not state if the fund had actually discovered. buyers it might offer to.

Norway's fund, which holds the windfall generated by its oil. and gas production, owns 1.5% of all worldwide listed shares in. business.

Moscow thinks about U.S. and EU sanctions a type of economic. warfare, and states contacts us to divest Russian properties are hostile. acts of unfriendly states.

Philip Gabunia, deputy governor of Russia's reserve bank,. informed Reuters on Wednesday any decision to offer the assets inside. Russia would require Moscow's consent, given just with. engaging grounds.

If they want to sell in Russia, they should send a demand. to our Russian governmental commission. Only after that will the. matter be considered. Outside of Russia, they can offer to. another immigrant, however it will likewise remain frozen, Gabunia. said.

Asked about Gabunia's comment, the Norwegian deputy finance. minister did not resolve the concern in her emailed reply.

The worth of the fund's Russian equity portfolio was. approximated at just 1.5 billion crowns ($ 135 million) at the end. of June this year, the central bank has said.

The investments are across 49 Russian business, fund data. revealed, with the greatest holdings in Sberbank, Lukoil. and Gazprom, fund information showed.

That includes stocks of Russian companies listed outside. Russia, or which have a secondary listing outside Russia, which. would not require approval from Moscow.

Amongst them are Novatek, Yandex, Evraz. , Globaltrans Investments and Ozon Holdings. , fund data revealed.

In addition, the fund holds Russian roubles worth some 3.2. billion crowns in its custodian Citibank account with the. Russian National Settlement Depository

(source: Reuters)