Latest news with #ARENDAL
Arab News
12-08-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Norway sovereign fund expects to sell more Israeli stocks over Gaza, West Bank
ARENDAL: Norway's $2 trillion sovereign wealth fund, the world's largest, said on Tuesday it expects to divest from more Israeli companies as part of its ongoing review of investments in the country over the situation in Gaza and the West Bank. The fund announced on Monday it was terminating contracts with external asset managers handling some of its Israeli investments and has divested parts of its portfolio in the country over the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The review began last week following media reports that the fund had built a stake of just over 2 percent in an Israeli jet engine group that provides services to Israel's armed forces, including the maintenance of fighter jets. The stake in the company, Bet Shemesh Engines Ltd. (BSEL) , has now been sold, the fund announced on Tuesday. Bet Shemesh did not respond to requests for comment. Norges Bank Investment Management (NBIM), an arm of Norway's central bank, which held stakes in 61 Israeli companies as of June 30, in recent days divested stakes in 11 firms, including BSEL. It did not name the other companies. 'We expect to divest from more companies, NBIM CEO Nicolai Tangen told a press conference on Tuesday. The fund began investing in BSEL in November 2023, about one month after the war in Gaza began, via an external investment manager, Tangen said. The fund declined to name the external portfolio manager. Since then, NBIM has held quarterly meetings with Bet Shemesh Holdings, but the war in Gaza was not raised as a theme. 'We had discussions about their business in the United States, not about the war in Gaza,' Tangen said, adding that the fund had rated BSEL as a 'medium risk' stock with regards to ethics concerns. The fund, which invests the Norwegian state's revenues from oil and gas production, is one of the world's largest investors, owning on average 1.5 percent of all listed stocks worldwide. It also invests in bonds, real estate and renewable energy projects.
Reuters
12-08-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Norway wealth fund posts $68 bln profit for January-June, lifted by finance stocks
ARENDAL, Norway, Aug 12 (Reuters) - Norway's $2 trillion sovereign wealth fund, the world's largest, posted a 698 billion Norwegian crowns ($68.28 billion) profit for the first half of the year, lifted by strong returns among stocks in the financial industry, it said on Tuesday. The fund's overall return for the January-June period was 5.7%, which was 0.05 percentage point lower than the return on the fund's benchmark index. "The result is driven by good returns in the stock market, particularly in the financial sector," fund CEO Nicolai Tangen said in a statement. The fund, which invests the Norwegian state's revenues from oil and gas production, is one of the world's largest investors, owning on average 1.5% of all listed stocks worldwide. It also invests in bonds, real estate and renewable energy projects. The return on equity investments was 6.7% percent in the first half, while fixed-income returned 3.3%, unlisted real estate 4.0% and unlisted renewable energy infrastructure 9.4%, Norges Bank Investment Management (NBIM) said in its statement. NBIM announced on Monday it was terminating contracts with external asset managers handling its Israeli investments and has divested parts of its portfolio in the country over the situation in Gaza and the West Bank. It is expected to provide more detail on its partial Israeli divestment on Tuesday. The fund is due to holds a press conference at 0800 CET (0600 GMT). ($1 = 10.2223 Norwegian crowns)
