Norway Economic Growth Tops Forecasts, Denting Rate Cut Bets

Norway’s economy surprised with faster-than-expected growth for a second quarter in a row, raising the chances that the nation’s central bank will refrain from easing next month.

Mainland gross domestic product, which excludes Norway’s offshore energy industry, rose 0.6% in the April-to-June quarter from the previous three months, even as its slowed from a revised 1.2% gain in the prior quarter, according to data from the statistics office on Thursday.