Hello everyone, the Euro zone are struggling and the growth in the US are slowing. I have to say being in Brazil talking to investors last week, that the big boom in Brazil may as well be over...

Is it time to look at one of Europe’s safe harbours - Norway?

It is a strong economy; the government are wealthy with zero debt and a encouraging tax system it should be a good environment finding great investment opportunities in a world with few booming markets at the moment.

-Roy Andre Grønli

How? My broker (Selftrade) does not cover Norway and so far as I can see there are no investment trusts, ETFs or individual shares specialising in that country quoted in the UK.

But I have read lots of other articles that say the opposite. So which set of oracles do you believe? Most of my profits lately have come from UK listed companies which do business in emerging markets. Norwegian companies that I can think of are in oil and gas, power generation, chemicals, forestry, fishing and shipping. Most of those have world markets. Besides the Norwegians are well governed unlike most of the rest of the world.

Further checking reveals that a lot of foreign companies are traded on Euronext and Xetra so if you know the name from the Oslo Stock Exchange you can often buy the company via these markets. Norsk Hydro is the only one also quoted in London.

Scottish salmon farming giant sees profits leap

Published Date: 01 September 2010
By PETER RANSCOMBE
Strong demand in the first half helped Oslo-listed Scottish Salmon Company (SCC), previously Lighthouse Caledonia, to post a leap in profits.
Scotland's salmon farms have benefited from the collapse of production in Chile, where disease forced the closure of farms and created a vacuum in the international market.

SCC, which accounts for about 20 per cent of Scottish production, said dem
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and for Scottish salmon was high and that customers saw the fish as a premium product, allowing the firm to maintain profit margins.

These conditions are expected to continue for the rest of the year, the company said, with revenue in the first half doubling from £21 million to £42.6m as production rose. Interim profits soared from £1.7m to £12.1m.

SCC, which has its head office in Edinburgh but is listed on Norway's Axess junior stock exchange, owns about 50 sites and employs some 300 staff.

Lighthouse Caledonia had shut its Marybank facility in Stornoway, Lewis, in December 2008 with the loss of 130 posts.

But a rescue came from a private equity investor, Northern Link, which took a stake of more than 50 per cent in the firm last year and, in March this year, SCC unveiled plans to reopen the Stornoway site and hire 70 staff.

Chief executive Mike Corbett said: "Performance has continued to be strong and the demand for a premium Scottish product remains high. As we continue to invest in the business, we expect that this solid performance will continue throughout the second half of 2010."

SCC said it is reviewing its dividend policy after net debt fell from £31.3m to £16.8m. No interim dividend was declared.


* Last Updated: 31 August 2010 10:08 PM
* Source: The Scotsman
* Location: Edinburgh
* Related Topics: Fish farming industry

http://business.scotsman...g-giant-sees.6505415.jp

Comment from Jeremy: this looks good but I still don't know how to access it. In a world dominated by the internet we ought to be able to just click and buy. The financial services industry is crippled by regulations that protect us from making a profit and increase costs in the name of investor protection and anti-terror / money laundering laws. None of which stops fraudsters, gangsters or terrorists. Whatever happened to caveat emptor and market self-regulation?

Jeremy

You can buy all 3 companies mentioned in the Fool article thro' Xetra, Telenor [OG8C]and Statoil [OM2Z] also on the LSE International but only DnB and Statoil are available thro' Selftrade.