The biggest bank in the Nordic region, Nordea, said Thursday it was barring its traders from buying Volkswagen shares and bonds for six months over the German manufacturer's emissions scandal.

"We believe this action, or lack of action, from the management is outrageous. It's poor judgment in terms of business, but it's also very costly from a financial point of view," Sasja Beslik, head of responsible investments at Stockholm-based Nordea, told AFP.