Norway yesterday slashed the price range for a partial privatisation of state telecoms group Telenor to 42-46 krona per share from Skr50-Skr68 after a tumble in the price of telecoms stocks worldwide. Telenor expressed confidence that the planned listing of 21 per cent of the group, the biggest share offer in Norwegian history, would succeed. Analysts said one big risk to the success of the float was tied to complex negotiations between Telenor and British Telecommunications on an option for Telenor to sell its stake in Esat Digifone to BT for $1.24 billion (€1.42 billion); otherwise it must exchange its 49.5 per cent of Digifone for a 33 per cent stake in the parent Esat group with an option to buy a further 16.9 per cent for $624 million.