The Oslo Stock Exchange opened in negative territory on Thursday, with the main index down 0.3% shortly after the opening bell.

The decline marks a continuation of recent market softness, driven primarily by weakness in the energy sector as crude oil prices failed to find support.

05% earlier in the week, buoyed by strong performance in Aker shares following reports of a significant sale.

Brent crude was trading around $70.80 a barrel just before the market opened, a level that continues to pressure energy stocks, which remain a dominant weight in the Norwegian benchmark.

The lower oil price acted as a headwind for the broader market, offsetting any potential gains from other sectors.

This session follows a period of mixed performance for the Oslo Børs.

The index had opened with a marginal gain of 0.05% earlier in the week, buoyed by strong performance in Aker shares following reports of a significant sale.