Norwegian companies expect overall activity to remain unchanged in the first half of 2024, a Norwegian central bank business survey showed on Thursday.

"Prospects have been revised up somewhat since the previous survey," the central bank said in its quarterly survey, which provides key input for Norges Bank ahead of its March 21 rate decision.

Expectations however vary widely between sectors, with contacts in oil services and services predicting a rise in activity, while contacts in the construction sector brace for a big fall, it said in a statement.

Wage growth expectations for 2024 have been revised up in all sectors to an average 4.9% compared to the previously projected 4.5% in its November survey.

 

(Reporting by Anna Ringstrom, editing by Stine Jacobsen)