Norway: Economy contracts in April
Economic output declined 0.6% over the prior month in seasonally-adjusted terms in April, contrasting the 1.0% expansion recorded in March. Meanwhile, the economy grew 1.1% in the rolling quarter of February–April relative to the previous rolling quarter (November–January). This expansion was well above the 0.1% growth logged in January–March.
Mainland GDP—which excludes hydrocarbon extraction and related services—contracted 0.5% in April. The result contrasted the 1.2% expansion clocked in March. In the rolling quarter of February–April, the mainland economy grew 1.3% from the previous quarter (November–January), improving from the 0.8% expansion recorded in January–March.
Domestically, the monthly downturn was spearheaded by the decline in fixed investment, which contracted 4.5% in seasonally-adjusted month-on-month terms in April (March: +5.2% s.a. mom). Additionally, private consumption growth slowed to 0.6% in April, down from March’s 3.3%. These deteriorations more than offset the rebound in government spending, which increased 0.6% in April and improved from a 0.3% contraction in the prior month.
Turning to the external sector, exports of goods and services swung to a contraction in April, declining 3.9% (March: +4.4 s.a. mom). Meanwhile, imports of goods and services growth moderated to 0.2%, deteriorating from the 2.1% growth clocked in March.