Obolon PrJSC has won a tender to supply 171.5 million bottles of bottled water for the Armed Forces of Ukraine to all regions of the country for the first half of 2025, the press service of the State Logistics Operator (DOT) reports on Facebook.
“At the end of November, the State Logistics Operator announced a tender for the purchase of bottled water for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The announced purchase price was more than UAH 727 million, while the actual price based on the results of the auction was 10.2% lower and amounted to UAH 653 million,” the DOT said, adding that the actual savings from the auction amounted to UAH 74.3 million.
The DOT reminded that water is purchased separately from the main catalog, so the cost of the product is largely formed taking into account logistics costs.
In January-November of this year, Ukrainian enterprises reduced their consumption of rolled metal products by 7.95% year-on-year to 2 million 995.6 thousand tons.
According to a press release issued by Ukrmetallurgprom on Wednesday, 1 million 135.6 thousand tons, or 37.91% of the domestic rolled steel market, were imported during this period.
According to Ukrmetallurgprom, in January-November 2024, steel companies produced 5.741 million tons of rolled metal products (118% compared to the same period in 2023), of which, according to the State Customs Service of Ukraine, about 3.881 million tons, or 67.6%, were exported. In January-November 2023, the share of exports amounted to 54.4% (2.664 million tons with a total production of 4.864 million tons of rolled steel).
The share of semi-finished products in export deliveries in January-October 2024 amounted to 46.25%, which is significantly higher than in January-November 2023 (41.79%). The share of flat products in export deliveries for 11 months of 2024 is almost at the level of January-November 2023 (39.04% and 38.46%, respectively). The share of long products is significantly lower than in January-October 2023 (14.71% in 2024 vs. 19.74% in 2023).
“In 11 months of 2024, the domestic market capacity amounted to 3254.2 thousand tons, of which 1034.2 thousand tons, or 31.78%, were imported. Thus, for 11 months of 2024, there was a decrease in the domestic market capacity by 7.95% compared to 11 months of 2023, while the share of the import component increased by 6.13%,” the press release states.
The structure of imports in 11 months of 2024 is still characterized by a significant dominance of flat products over long products (78.87% and 19.52%, respectively); in January-November 2023, the dominance of flat products over long products was also significant (75.23% and 23.98%, respectively).
According to the State Customs Service, the main export markets for Ukrainian rolled steel products in January-November 2024 were the European Union (70.3%), Africa (10.5%) and the rest of Europe (8.1%).
Other European countries ranked first among steel importers in 11 months of 2024 (50.6%), followed by the EU-27 (28.0%) and Asia (20.0%).
As reported, Ukraine’s rolled steel market increased 2.19 times in 2023 compared to 2022, to 3 million 505.6 thousand tons. The company imported 1 million 118.6 thousand tons, or 31.91% of the domestic market for these products.
“Kernel, one of Ukraine’s largest agricultural holdings, posted a net profit of $121 million in the first quarter of fiscal year (FY) 2025 (July-September 2024), compared to a net loss of $31 million in the same period of FY 2024.
“This indicates a strong dependence of the group’s revenues on the availability of the Black Sea for export operations,” the company said in a quarterly report published on its website on Friday.
According to the report, Kernel’s consolidated revenue in Q1 FY2025 reached $798 million, up 46% year-on-year, amid a low comparative base due to the lack of stable grain export operations in July-September 2023.
At the same time, it is specified that compared to the previous quarter, in July-September 2024, revenue decreased by 19% due to a seasonal decline in sales of edible oils and grain.
“Due to the increase in global prices for grains and oilseeds, the Group recognized a net gain on changes in the fair value of biological assets of $42 million compared to a loss of $10 million recognized in Q1 FY2024,” the report also says.
It is also noted that Kernel’s cost of sales decreased by 18% quarter-on-quarter to $675 million, in particular, shipping and handling costs fell by 38% due to lower sales volumes and lower freight costs and accounted for 15% of the total cost of sales.
“As a result, gross profit for July-September 2024 decreased by 20% year-on-year to $164 million, which is 3.2 times higher than the previous year’s result of $52 million,” the document says.
According to the report, Kernel’s EBITDA in the first quarter of 2025 amounted to $169 million compared to $19 million in the first quarter of 2024.
It is specified that the oilseeds processing segment provided EBITDA of $37 million, which is 37% less than in the previous year, and this decrease was due to both a decrease in edible oil sales and a decrease in profitability.
In the Infrastructure and Trading segment, EBITDA amounted to $53 million, up 9 times year-on-year, mainly due to the inaccessibility of the Black Sea for export operations from Ukraine in the same period last year. This year’s strong performance was driven by profitable grain harvesting and transshipment operations in Ukraine and the availability of deepwater ports, which ensured stable export operations.
The Agriculture segment reported a strong EBITDA of $84 million, a sharp turnaround from a loss of $23 million in 1Q2024, thanks to $42 million from the revaluation of biological assets, supported by the sale of 521 thousand tons of grains and oilseeds in July-September 2024.
“Operating profit before changes in working capital in July-September 2024 increased 2.8 times compared to the same period last year and reached $148 million, reflecting an improvement in the EBITDA structure due to the opening of deepwater ports for export operations,” the document states.
At the same time, changes in working capital resulted in a cash outflow of $56 million in the reporting period, which was mainly due to the seasonal accumulation of inventories amid the ongoing harvesting campaign in Ukraine.
Net cash used in investing activities amounted to USD 20 million, reflecting the purchase of property, plant, and equipment. Following the completion of major investment projects in the previous financial year, the Group shifted its focus to modernizing agricultural machinery and other maintenance activities.
According to the report, net cash provided by financing activities for the three months ended September 30, 2024 amounted to $20 million, including $114 million in proceeds from new borrowings, $83 million in repayments of borrowings, and $11 million in repayments of agricultural land lease obligations.
Kernel’s debt obligations increased by 4% in the first quarter of FY2025 to $1.129 billion, reflecting the use of previously signed credit lines from European and Ukrainian banks to finance working capital, but the company repaid $300 million of Eurobonds in October, and its net debt decreased by 7% to $261 million at the end of September.
“In the first quarter of FY2025, the group’s leverage improved, with net debt to EBITDA falling to 0.5x and interest coverage ratio rising to 10.7x EBITDA before 12-month interest,” the document states.
It is also specified that inventories increased by 76% in the first quarter of FY2025 to $435 million, reflecting the seasonal accumulation of sunflower seeds and grain due to the long harvesting campaign in Ukraine. Inventories included 988 thousand tons of grains (mainly corn, wheat and soybeans), 94 thousand tons of edible oil, 49 thousand tons of sunflower meal and 340 thousand tons of sunflower seeds.
In addition, in October 2024, the company raised a $150 million pre-export credit line from a syndicate of international banks to support export operations and meet working capital needs in the current fiscal year.
Kernel is the world’s largest exporter of sunflower oil and one of the largest producers and sellers of bottled oil in Ukraine. It is also engaged in the cultivation and sale of agricultural products.
Kernel’s net profit for FY2023 amounted to $299 million, while the company ended the previous year with a net loss of $41 million. The agricultural holding’s revenue for FY2023 decreased by 35% to $3.455 billion, but EBITDA increased 2.5 times to $544 million.
Ukrainian companies increased exports of ferrous scrap by 62.4% year-on-year in January-November this year, up to 261,578 thousand tons from 161,025 thousand tons.
According to the statistics released by the State Customs Service on Monday, 34.608 thousand tons of scrap were exported in November, 24.549 thousand tons in October, 24.767 thousand tons in September, and 28.767 thousand tons in August. tons, in August – 28,425 thousand tons, in July – 24,702 thousand tons, in June – 22,161 thousand tons, in May – 14,952 thousand tons, in April – 26,153 thousand tons, in March – 20,907 thousand tons, in February – 23,194 thousand tons, in January – 17,160 thousand tons.
In monetary terms, scrap exports increased by 76.8% to $82.056 million from $46.406 million.
In January-November, Ukraine exported scrap mainly to Poland (82.56%), Greece (12.58%) and Germany (3.49%).
For the eleven months of the year, the country imported 100 tons of scrap metal for $108 thousand, while in January-November 2023, 987 tons were imported for $383 thousand. This year’s imports were carried out mainly from Turkey (65.74% in monetary terms), the British Virgin Islands (16.67%) and Panama (6.48%).
As reported, in 2023, Ukraine’s scrap collecting enterprise increased scrap exports from the country by 3.4 times compared to the previous year – up to 182,485 thousand tons from 53,557 thousand tons. In monetary terms, exports increased 2.74 times to $52.723 million from $19.271 million.
Earlier, Ukrmetallurgprom President Oleksandr Kalenkov stated in a column on the Interfax-Ukraine website that scrap is exported through the European Union, which has a preferential export duty of EUR3 per ton, and from there the raw materials are redirected to real customers. He noted that exporting raw materials directly to customers would cost EUR180 in export duties, and the Ukrainian budget has already lost UAH 350 million.
The head of Ukrmetallurgprom called for a temporary ban on the export of ferrous scrap to provide steelmakers with strategically important raw materials in the face of the ongoing war. He also clarified that a ton of scrap processed into steel brings in 10 times more to the budget than the EU export duty, which is about $300 per ton.
In 2022, Ukraine reduced exports of ferrous scrap by 11.5 times compared to the previous year, to 53,557 thousand tons, and in monetary terms, it decreased by 12.4 times, to $19.271 million.
After raising the official hryvnia exchange rate by 4 kopecks on Thursday, the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) strengthened it by another 5 kopecks on Friday to 41.6070 UAH/$1, according to the regulator’s website.
“The foreign exchange market of Ukraine is experiencing an increase in the currency deficit caused by high demand in both cash and non-cash segments. The National Bank of Ukraine stabilizes the market with interventions that are not able to fully satisfy the demand for currency, but at the same time achieve the goal of stabilizing the market, which prevents abrupt dynamics and allows to maintain a smooth devaluation trend,” analysts of KIT Group state in the review and forecast of the foreign exchange market.
According to them, the increase in demand for foreign currency in both segments of the foreign exchange market is typical for the beginning of the month and the end of the year.
The analysts also note that the spread between the buying and selling rates of the euro and the US dollar has increased in recent weeks.
“This indicates the desire of currency market operators to capitalize on the increased demand for cash currency among the population, and the widening of the difference between the purchase and sale rates allows them to compensate for their own risks amid a poorly predictable exchange rate situation,” they explain.
At the same time, KIT Group believes that statements by Ukraine’s international partners regarding further funding from frozen natural resources, infrastructure support and economic stimulus projects do not give rise to pessimistic exchange rate forecasts.
According to their expectations, in the short term, the hryvnia exchange rate against the dollar will remain in the range of 41.7-42 UAH/$1, with a tendency to gravitate towards 42.5 UAH/$1. “Quotations close to 42 UAH/$1 were already recorded in early December, which is in line with our exchange rate expectations for the end of this year. At the same time, seasonal factors, such as increased demand for foreign currency at the end of the year, may cause a slight short-term surge to 42.5 UAH/$1,”KIT Group” forecasts.
However, at the same time, recent changes in tax policy may increase the tax burden on deposit income, which could stimulate additional demand for foreign currency and the flow of foreign currency savings from the banking system into cash, thereby putting pressure on the hryvnia exchange rate.
The NBU set the reference rate at 12:00 on Friday at 41.5778 UAH/$1, compared to 41.6915 UAH/$1 a day earlier.
The US dollar on the cash market on Friday rose by 4 kopecks to 41.84 UAH/$1 when buying, and by 5 kopecks to 41.90 UAH/$1 when selling.
Overall, since the beginning of 2024, the dollar has risen by 9.5%, or UAH 3.60, at the official exchange rate, and by 13.8%, or UAH 5.03, since the National Bank switched to a managed flexibility regime on October 3, 2023.
The average annual exchange rate is set at 40.7 UAH/$1 in the budget for 2024, and 42.1 UAH/$1 at the end of this year.
As reported, the official hryvnia exchange rate fell by 0.9%, or 37 kopecks, over the past month.
At the same time, Ukraine’s international reserves in November increased by $3.344 billion, or 9.1%, and as of December 1, 2024, according to preliminary data from the central bank, amounted to $39.925 billion, while net international reserves (NIR) increased by $3.5 billion, or 15.6%, to $25 billion 939 million.
The NBU’s net sale of foreign currency on the interbank market last week increased to $785.4 million, compared to $708.5 million a week earlier.
Source: https://ru.interfax.com.ua/news/projects/1033645.html
Slovakia will hold a series of talks starting next week to secure gas supplies from Russia after its current transit contract, which involves Ukraine, expires at the end of this year, Reuters reported on Friday, citing government officials.
“In the coming days, in particular during the Christmas holidays, you can witness extremely intense negotiations at different levels and in different countries, which will begin next week,” Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said at a press conference.
Denisa Sakova, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy of Slovakia, said that the talks would involve the European Commission, Ukraine and EU member states.
Fico said that he sought to ensure the continuation of supplies from the east to avoid additional fees for gas transit from other directions. “We see no reason to pay more for gas than necessary for geopolitical reasons… I believe that even if there is a short-term interruption of supplies from the east, we have enough reserves to find a common solution for several EU countries, and we will keep gas transit through Slovakia, as well as gas transit through Ukraine,” he said.
Reuters notes that Slovak officials have been looking for alternative gas transit schemes through Ukraine that would not require a direct agreement between Ukraine and Russia, but have not reached any agreement.
Slovakia reportedly has a long-term contract with Russia’s Gazprom and would like to keep importing Russian gas through Ukraine, but it will end at the end of 2024, as Ukraine does not plan to extend the transit contract with Gazprom.
Earlier, Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said that Hungary and Bulgaria had found a legal and financial solution acceptable to the parties to continue the transit of Russian gas through their countries in the face of US sanctions against Gazprombank.
Hungary receives Russian gas through the Turkish Stream pipeline from Russia to Turkey and then transits through Bulgaria to Hungary. Hungary has received the bulk of its gas consumption through this route – this year, more than 7 billion cubic meters.
At the same time, Bloomberg, citing the Bulgarian Ministry of Energy, reports that “only a ‘solution’ to the problem was discussed, which would include Hungary and allow Bulgaria to continue receiving transit fees after the arrival of Russian gas.” Bulgaria has previously warned that it may stop transiting Russian gas to Central Europe if Gazprom does not find a payment solution, the agency reminds.
