Unlike its Scandinavian neighbour, the Norges Bank looks set to take a breather having hiked interest rates three times so far in 2019. The question now is whether it looks to resume its tightening cycle again in 2020. At this stage, Norway's central bank is likely to continue signalling a prolonged pause. While higher oil prices, a weaker krone and higher global interest rates all point to an upshift in its rate path, this will be tempered by more lacklustre activity data over recent weeks. In particular, the central bank’s own regional network points to a moderation in output, particularly in the retail sector. ... (full story)