Norway to cut Telenor and Statoil stakes

Norway’s probable next government is looking to part-privatise a slew of state-owned companies as eight years of centre-left rule seems set to come to an end.

Svein Flatten, Conservative MP and spokesman on ownership matters, said it would want to reduce ownership "over time" in three of the biggest partially state-owned companies: energy group Statoil; telecoms operator Telenor; and fertiliser producer Yara.

Companies it would particularly focus on selling down include airline SAS; fish food group Cermaq; property business Entra; airport train Flytoget; and construction services provider Mesta.

“We first of all want a stronger private ownership and a reduced state ownership,” Mr Flatten said.

A Conservative-led centre-right coalition is the most likely result of elections, putting an end to the centre-left government.

Erna Solberg, the Conservative leader and likely next prime minister, has campaigned on a platform of tax cuts. But the Conservatives have also said they want to have a debate about splitting up the $750 billion oil fund, the world's largest sovereign wealth fund. – (Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2013)