Norwegian interest rate remains unchanged

The Norwegian central bank, Norges Bank, leaves the interest rate unchanged at 4.5 percent. The message was in line with what the analysts had counted on.

In December, the bank signaled a rate cut in March, a prognosis that remains.

"We will likely lower the rate in March," says the central bank chief Ida Wolden Bache in a press release.

The current level is the highest since December 2008.