Securities registered with the Norwegian Central Securities Depository, Q2 2007

National level, no regional divisions.

Quarterly. Normally published 6-7 weeks after the end of the statistics quarter.

BIS.

Time series are stored in a database solution.

The purpose of the statistics is to provide a current overview of the issue and ownership of securities registered in VPS. Parts of the data basis are also input to the balance of payments and financial sector accounts. The statistics have stock data dating back to 1987 and transaction data from 1989.

The responsibility for the statistics was transferred to Statistics Norway on 1 January 2007.

Major users, in addition to Statistics Norway, are players in the securities market, public authorities and research institutes.

Adapted in accordance with the national accounts’ recommendations.

The Statistics Act § 2-2

Not relevant

The statistics are based on stock and transaction data for the following types of securities registered in VPS:

All shares issued by public limited companies (PLC) and a share of private limited companies. Also included are a part of or the whole share capital of foreign registered companies.

Equity certificates, including all equity certificates listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange.

Bonds, including all bonds of short - or long maturity issued in Norway.

From the 4th quarter of 2006 bonds issued in foreign currencies registered with VPS is also included in the statistics.  Short-term securities in NOK, including all such short-term securities that are issued in Norway and all treasury bills issued by the Norwegian state since July 2000. From the 4th quarter of 2006 short-term securities issued in foreign currencies registered with VPS is also included in the statistics

Norwegian Central Securities Depository (VPS) and Oslo Stock Exchange (OSE).

The statistics are a census within the securities that are specified in 3.1, hence no sampling is conducted.

Extracts of primary data is received from the Norwegian Central Securities Depository (VPS). Market values are received from Oslo Stock Exchange (OSE) and exchange rate information is received by the Norges Bank.

Data is controlled at an individual security level (ISIN level) against previous reported periods. The development in the value of listed shares and bonds is revised against data published by OSE and VPS. Data series are revised on an ongoing basis and published together with data for the new statistical period.

Statistics Norway's standard confidentiality rules apply.

Changes in legislation, changes in regulations for registration requirements in the VPS, and the introduction of new classificationstandards kan lead to interrupted time series.

2012: New standard for sectorclassification was introduced.

A new instistutional sector classification was introduced from january 2012. One of the most significant changes is that the demarcation between financial – and non-financial sector was shifted so that financial sector increased in size. In addition, some new financial sectors were introduced such as “investment trusts and private equity funds” and “financial holding companies”.

The introduction of the new sectorclassification lead to a break in the statististics. The new tables will contain data from the first quarter of 2012 and onwards. The older tables will not be updated with new time series.

2012: New divide between listed - and unlisted shares

From 2012 and onwards, the statistics the distinguishes between listed - and unlisted registered with the VPS. Listed shares entails shares registered for trade at the Oslo Stock Exchange or Oslo Axess.

2006: Adjustment in securities statistics

An change in the statistics to a more detailed reporting in the 4th quarter of 2006, means that the sector and industry categorisation is based on information from the Central Coordinating Register for Legal Entities Enterprises, and no longer from the Central Security Depository (VPS) itself. This lead to some stocks of securites to be owned by other sectors than before. The sectors “Other financial corporations” and “Other non-financial corporations” and “Local government and municipal enterprises” were significantly affected by this change.

Further, the adjustment in the statistics lead to more use of observed prices from transactions for calculation of market values of securities, which particularly improved the estimation in value of unlisted shares. Calculations showed that the total value of unlisted shares registered with the VPS increased by NOK 107 billion (64 per cent) as a consequence of changed method of calculation.

The adjustment of the securities statistics also meant that bonds issued in foreign currency was included in the statistics. This lead to an increase of NOK 20 billion in the market value in the stocks of bonds.