For the first time in two years, the average microloan amount has decreased slightly
According to the National Bank of Ukraine, Ukrainians have signed more than 2.17 million contracts totaling nearly UAH 13 billion with microfinance organizations (MFOs) this year. The number of microloans increased by 8%, but the average loan amount decreased for the first time in two years, amounting to UAH 5,858. In total, Ukrainians owed MFIs almost UAH 24.3 billion as of early April 2025. This is twice as much as at the beginning of the full-scale war.
Ukrainians signed over 2.17 million loan agreements with MFIs in the first quarter of 2025. This is 8% more than in the same period last year. The total amount of such agreements amounted to UAH 12.72 billion.
However, despite the increase in the number of loans, the average loan amount decreased for the first time in two years — by 2% compared to the same period last year, and currently stands at 5,858 UAH. Prior to this, the average check had only been growing.
On average, Ukrainians signed 724,000 agreements per month, which is slightly more than last year’s figure of 693,000 per month.
In total, Ukrainians owed MFIs UAH 24.28 billion as of April 1, 2025. This is twice as much as at the beginning of the full-scale war in April 2022. In the first quarter of 2025 alone, the debt increased by UAH 4.3 billion, or 22%.
It should be noted that according to updated data from the NBU, Ukrainians’ debts did not decrease by 2.7 billion hryvnia, as was reported in previous reports, but instead increased by 1.4 billion hryvnia at the end of 2024. In total, the debt doubled in 2024, increasing by 10.7 billion hryvnia.
63% of microloans are taken for a term of 93 days to 1 year. The share of such agreements has remained almost unchanged. At the same time, long-term microloans (1 to 2 years) increased 15 times. Their share currently stands at 3.6%. Short-term loans (up to 31 days) have also become more popular: their share increased from 14.5% to 24%. However, the share of loans with a term of 32 to 92 days decreased more than fivefold, from 16.5% to 3%.
https://opendatabot.ua/analytics/mfo-2025-1
Karol Nawrocki, candidate from the Law and Justice party, has won the second round of the presidential election in Poland, according to Gazeta Wyborcza.
According to the Polish National Electoral Commission, after 100% of the votes were counted, he received 50.89%.
It is noted that his opponent, Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski, received 49.1% of the vote.
A week before the election, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk called presidential candidate Nawrocki’s statement that Poland would never support Ukraine’s accession to NATO treason.
Earlier, the Experts Club think tank released a video analysis dedicated to the most important elections in the world in 2025. For more details, see here — https://youtu.be/u1NMbFCCRx0?si=6L76qeuNamxg6py1
ECONOMY, EXPERTS_CLUB, Karol Navrotsky, POLITICS, PRESIDENT OF POLAND, URAKIN
Change in prices of food raw materials from Ukraine (forecast up to 2025), %
The second round of presidential elections is taking place in Poland on Sunday, with Poles choosing their head of state from two candidates: Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski and Karol Nawrocki, head of the opposition conservative Law and Justice party and head of the Institute of National Remembrance.
Polling stations in Poland opened at 7 a.m. and voting will end at 9 p.m.
During the first round of the current presidential election, 67.31% of eligible voters cast their ballots.
A week before the election, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk called presidential candidate Nawrocki’s statement that Poland would never support Ukraine’s accession to NATO an act of treason.
Earlier, the Experts Club analytical center released a video analysis dedicated to the most important elections in the world in 2025. For more details, see here —
https://youtu.be/u1NMbFCCRx0?si=6L76qeuNamxg6py1
Ukrproduct Group, a major Ukrainian producer of packaged oil and processed cheese, reported a net loss of GBP 2.04 million for 2024, compared with a net profit of GBP 0.39 million in 2023.
“Financial expenses in 2024 increased by 253% compared to the previous year to GBP 2.8 million, which was caused by significant accruals of commission for deferral of a loan from the EBRD, retrospectively applied for the period from October 2016 to December 2024,” the company explained in its annual report on the London Stock Exchange.
According to the report, in December 2024, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) decided to exercise its right under the loan agreement and charged a commission of GBP 2.0 million, which increased the company’s liabilities to the bank to GBP 8.1 million.
The group’s gross profit for the past year increased by 3.9% to GBP 7.12 million, while operating profit fell by 36.6% to GBP 1.08 million and EBITDA by 29% to GBP 1.7 million.
Canada’s economy grew 2.2% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2025, the country’s statistics agency reported.
The growth estimate for the fourth quarter of 2024 was revised down to 2.1% from 2.6%.
Analysts polled by Trading Economics had expected Canadian GDP to grow by 1.7% in January-March.
Compared to the previous quarter, Canadian GDP grew by 0.5% after the same increase in the previous quarter. Earlier, it was reported that growth in October-December was 0.6%.
Consumer spending rose 0.3% in the first quarter, while government spending fell 0.8% for the first time in a year.
Exports rose 1.6% and imports rose 1.1%.
