While the All Share Index dropped 2.1 percent during January, maritime shares were the best performing sector at the Oslo Stock Exchange as the Shipping Index rose 3.6 percent. Shares worth of NOK 54.2 billion changed hands in 196,710 trades in January. On average, 9,367 trades to a value of 2,582 million were transacted daily, compared with last year's figures of 5,292 trades and NOK 1,770 million respectively. As much as 90.3 percent of all trades were automatically matched in the now one year-old trading system. Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL) and NCL Holding (NCL), the two cruise operators listed at the Exchange, experienced a good month as they climbed 12.3 and 11 percent respectively. Competitive bidding made NCL Holding the second most active share in Oslo.
