Norges Bank likely to hike slight deposit rate in 2019, two further hikes in 2020-21: Danske Bank

The Norges Bank is expected to hike the sight deposit rate according to plan, i.e. at the meetings on March 21 and September 19 and continue signalling two further hikes per year in 2020-21, according to the latest research report from Danske Bank.

The upcoming board meeting on January 24 is not likely to provide any news. Norges Bank has pointed out that the normalisation of interest rates will be gradual. The cenral bank has so far only hiked the rate once in this cycle, i.e. on 21 September last year.

There seems to be no domestic reasons at present to guide towards anything other than a March hike at the upcoming meeting.

The recent low oil price will affect long-term oil investment levels and the Government’s oil revenue negatively, but the weakness of the NOK more than compensate for the drop in oil prices for Norge Bank’s interest rate path, short-term, the report added.