Norway Signals First-Half Hike on Rising Concern Over Prices

Norway’s central bank opened the door to an interest-rate hike this year and even discussed an immediate move to tame inflation, prompting analysts to scrap their forecasts for more easing this year.

Norges Bank officials opted to hold the key deposit rate at 4% on Thursday, an outcome that was predicted by all 12 analysts in a Bloomberg survey. But the quintet of policymakers led by Governor Ida Wolden Bache said that an increase “at one of the forthcoming monetary policy meetings” will likely be necessary.