Norwegian oil and gas shares rise as attacks on Middle East facilities drive crude higher

Var Energi ASA

19/03/2026 10:13

** Shares in European oil companies rise after oil and gas prices surged sharply following several attacks on key energy facilities in the Middle East

** Benchmark Brent rises to its highest in more than a week to more than $115 a barrel, after Iran attacked energy facilities across the region, following Israel's strike on its South Pars gas field, a major escalation in the war

** Norwegian companies, which have little or no exposure to the Middle East, lead the gains on STOXX oil and gas subindex .SXEP, which is up around 0.2%

** Equinor EQNR.OL, Var Energi VAR.OL, Aker BP AKRBP.OL are up 3-5%, extending their winning streaks to a seventh consecutive session

** Equinor hits highest in more than 2 years, crowning the pan-European STOXX 600 index .STOXX

        ** Peers Galp GALP.LS, Maurel & Prom MAUP.PA, Eni ENI.MI, Total Energies TTEF.PA and BP BP.L rise around 2%

 (Reporting by Jesus Calero)

 ((jesus.calero@thomsonreuters.com))