Scandinavian values

The currencies of Sweden and Norway have jumped in value against the euro as investors take note of the two countries’ speedy economic recovery and their relative insulation from the fiscal woes of Greece and several other unstable European Union countries. Local banking crises in the 1980s and 1990s spurred reforms that helped Sweden and Norway sail through the recent financial turmoil relatively unscathed, as reported in today’s Wall Street Journal, in an article headlined “Scandinavia Gains Currency.” Steve Barrow, an analyst at Standard Bank in London, told Dow Jones reporter Neil Shah: "If you're looking for a better currency to hold in Europe, the Scandinavians are probably the best.”