Sovereign Wealth Funds: The Norwegian Experience

Sovereign wealth funds have rapidly become significant international institutions. The performance of funds varies substantially across countries, but comprehensive and systematic analyses of funds have been hampered by the lack of transparency of most funds. The relative transparency of the Norway Fund allows us to do an econometric analysis of the Fund's performance. The record resembles that of a mutual fund that has taken on greater risk over time. There is no evidence that the Fund has disrupted foreign financial markets more than mutual funds do. There remains a question as to whether the Fund and its Finance Ministry have been effective agents for the Norwegian citizens whose assets they are managing.

• Primary Source

Website: International Forum of Sovereign Wealth Funds (IFSWF) http://www.ifswf.org/

ESO: Background information: Norway to curb risk to SWF http://www.europeansources.info/record/norway-to-curb-risk-to-swf/

Norway: Ministry of Finance: Selected topics: Government Pension Fund http://www.regjeringen.no/en/dep/fin/Selected-topics/The-Government-Pension-Fund.html?id=1441

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