Norway stocks higher at close of trade; Oslo OBX up 0.85%

Norway stocks were higher after the close on Friday, as gains in the Healthcare Equipment & Services, Pharma Biotech & Life Sciences and Utilities sectors led shares higher.

At the close in Oslo, the Oslo OBX rose 0.85%.

The best performers of the session on the Oslo OBX were Equinor ASA (OL:EQNR), which rose 5.10% or 22.00 points to trade at 453.80 at the close. Meanwhile, Frontline Ltd (OL:FRO) added 4.11% or 19.50 points to end at 494.00 and Var Energi ASA (OL:VAR) was up 3.48% or 1.98 points to 58.94 in late trade.

The worst performers of the session were Norsk Hydro ASA (OL:NHY), which fell 6.08% or 4.36 points to trade at 67.40 at the close. Gjensidige Forsikring ASA (OL:GJFG) declined 3.85% or 10.40 points to end at 260.00 and Hoegh Autoliners ASA (OL:HAUTO) was down 2.98% or 5.40 points to 175.90.

Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Oslo Stock Exchange by 133 to 115 and 26 ended unchanged.

Shares in Equinor ASA (OL:EQNR) rose to all time highs; gaining 5.10% or 22.00 to 453.80. Shares in Var Energi ASA (OL:VAR) rose to all time highs; gaining 3.48% or 1.98 to 58.94.

Crude oil for December delivery was up 2.91% or 2.89 to $102.36 a barrel. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Brent oil for delivery in December rose 2.61% or 2.95 to hit $116.12 a barrel, while the December Gold Futures contract fell 1.10% or 44.75 to trade at $4,015.65 a troy ounce.

EUR/NOK was up 0.05% to 10.46, while USD/NOK rose 0.08% to 9.33.

The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.11% at 101.56.