Norway looks to ease its energy dependence

Article Excerpt

An abundance of oil and natural gas resources has made Norway one of the wealthiest countries in the world. However, efforts are underway to diversify its economy beyond natural resources, and there are early signs of success. Time will tell how complete or successful that transition is. Meanwhile the country’s economy and stock market will likely remain heavily influenced by energy prices. Here is an ETF that provides exposure to many of Norway’s top companies. GLOBAL X MSCI NORWAY ETF $14 (New York symbol NORW; TSI Network ETF Rating: Aggressive; Market cap: $156.8 million) invests in the largest publicly listed Norwegian companies. The ETF aims to track the MSCI Norway Index. The components of this index are weighted by market capitalization. Energy accounts for 29% of the fund’s assets by industry segment, while Financials (24%), Consumer Staples (14%), Materials (11%) and Telecommunications (10%) are other key segments. The ETF holds a portfolio of 60 stocks. The top 10 holdings make up a high 60% of its assets. They…