The unemployment rate in Norway fell to 4.1% for the period from October to December, compared to 4.7% in the same time last year, according to Statistics Norway.

The figures were above Reuters analyst expectations of 4.0%.

The total number of unemployed during the fourth quarter period stood at 115,000, which was down from 131,000 in the same time last year.

Meanwhile, the labour force participation rate among people aged 15-74 was 69.4% in the 4rd quarter of 2017, down from 69.8% in the same quarter the previous year.

The total number of employed people increased by 20,000 over the year and people with full-time work increased by 19,000 from the 4th quarter of 2016 to the 4th quarter of 2017.