Norway Halts Ethics Council to Shield U.S. Tech Investments
Norway has suspended its sovereign wealth fund's ethics council to prevent potential divestments from major U.S. tech firms, including Amazon, Microsoft, and Alphabet. The $2.1 trillion fund, the world's largest of its kind, faces political pressure amid Israel's Gaza conflict and U.S. diplomatic demands.
Finance Minister Jens Stoltenberg cited the need to protect the fund's global diversification strategy. Forced sell-offs could disrupt its holdings in over 9,000 companies, with Alphabet ranking as its fifth-largest investment. The MOVE underscores the tension between ethical mandates and financial pragmatism in sovereign wealth management.