Norway's core inflation rate fell below expectations in November, Statistics Norway (SSB) data showed on Monday, easing pressure on the central bank to raise interest rates later this week.

Core inflation, which strips out changing energy prices and taxes, stood at 5.8% year on year, while analysts in a Reuters poll on average had expected the rate to remain unchanged from October at 6.0%.

The central bank had meanwhile projected year-on-year core inflation for November of 6.1%.

Norges Bank last month kept its benchmark interest rate on hold at 4.25% but said it would likely raise the cost of borrowing in December unless its monetary policy makers become "more assured that underlying inflation is on the decline".

Headline inflation, which includes changes in energy costs and taxes, meanwhile rose in November to 4.8% from 4.0% year-on-year in October, slightly below a Reuters poll forecast of 4.9%.

Norway's currency, the crown, weakened to 11.75 against the euro by 0705 GMT from 11.74 ahead of the data release. Against the dollar, the crown fell to 10.91 from 10.90. (Reporting by Terje Solsvik, editing by Anna Ringstrom)