Ukraine’s public debt to GDP ratio from 2009 to 2023 (UAH mln)
Source: Open4Business.com.ua and experts.news
We are opening a new era of mobile experience. Get the opportunity to improve your everyday life with Galaxy AI.
Samsung Electronics Ukraine is launching sales of new Galaxy S24 series smartphones, which have received an impressive number of pre-orders thanks to the revolutionary capabilities of Galaxy AI. The new Galaxy S24 devices have received twice as many pre-orders as the previous S23 version globally and in Ukraine in particular. Moreover, more than 65% of consumers in the world have chosen the most premium model – Galaxy S24 Ultra, while in Ukraine this figure is 69%.
“The Galaxy S24 series is the first step towards a new era of AI smartphones that outperform conventional phones,” said Tae Moon-roh, President and Head of Mobile eXperience, Samsung Electronics. “Galaxy AI will forever change the way people interact with the world, as it is designed to become an integral part of our daily lives. We can’t wait to see how our users will enhance their daily lives with Galaxy AI, opening up endless possibilities.”
Galaxy AI offers innovative and practical AI features that will transform the way we communicate and create, and help us explore the world. From Live Translate and Chat Assist for instant translation for barrier-free communication, to the new standard for search with Google’s Circle to Search1, AI will enhance the smartphone experience offered by Galaxy S24. The new ProVisual Engine image processor and a set of AI tools for the camera will allow you to unleash your creativity and realize your ideas – from shooting images with new zoom capabilities to editing with generative AI.
Samsung is continuing to improve the new AI features so that users can enjoy these unique capabilities. In addition to the 13 languages that are already available in AI features, users will get more language packs. In addition, most of the Galaxy AI features will also be extended to previous models through software updates, including the Galaxy S23, S23 FE, Fold5, Flip5 smartphones and Tab S9 tablet. And finally, Samsung is committed to extending the life cycle of its smartphones, so the Galaxy S24 series will now have seven generations of operating system updates and seven years of security updates.
Starting February 7, Galaxy S24 Ultra, Galaxy S24+ and Galaxy S24 will be available to users both in partner stores and on the official Samsung online store. The Galaxy S24 Ultra is available in the following colors: Titanium Gray, Titanium Black, Titanium Purple, and Titanium Yellow. The Galaxy S24+ and Galaxy S24 devices are available in onyx black, marble gray, cobalt purple and amber yellow.
Prices start from:
– 57,999 UAH for Galaxy S24 Ultra
– 46,999 UAH for Galaxy S24+
– 37,999 UAH for Galaxy S24
To learn more about the Galaxy S24 series, please visit
– samsung.com/ua
– news.samsung.com
About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
Samsung brings cutting-edge ideas and advanced technologies to life, inspiring people and shaping the future of the consumer market through smartphones, TVs, wearables, tablets, home appliances, medical devices, networking systems, memory solutions, semiconductors, foundries, and LED solutions. For the latest company news, please visit Samsung Newsroom at news.samsung.com.
Internal and external debt of Ukraine in 2010-2023
Source: Open4Business.com.ua and experts.news
Emporium LLC from Rinat Akhmetov’s SCM group has become the owner of 8.856607% of shares of PFTS, Ukraine’s largest stock exchange by trading volume (both in Kiev), on the eve of its announced plans to increase its authorized capital by 93.7%.
According to PFTS’ message in the NSCM disclosure system, the exchange received information about the new shareholder on February 2.
It is specified that Emporium is owned by Crossgold Limited, which, in turn, is owned by SCM Financial Overseas Limited, 100% owned by Akhmetov
There is no information about the seller of these shares yet.
As reported, PFTS earlier announced plans to consider at the extraordinary remote shareholders’ meeting on February 6 an increase in the authorized capital (AC) from UAH 32.01 million to UAH 62.01 million, or by 93.7%, through the placement of an additional 30 thousand shares with a par value of UAH 1 thousand through additional contributions without making a public offering.
Preliminarily, the list of persons among whom the shares of the additional issue will be placed is limited to the existing shareholders, however, the meeting may expand it by other investors intending to purchase the shares.
The largest shareholder of PFTS since the beginning of 2022 is Bohai Commodity Exchange (BOCE Co. Limited, Hong Kong) with 49.9% of shares. According to the SEC disclosure system, there were no other shareholders with a stake of more than 5% at the end of the third quarter of 2023.
At the same time, Prime Holding LLC in mid-October 2023 announced its intention to acquire 2,835 shares of the exchange, which is 8.8566% of its authorized capital.
PFTS did not publish financial statements after 9 months of 2021. According to information from the last annual shareholders’ meeting, the exchange reduced its net loss in 2022 compared to 2021 by 8.6% to UAH 3.641 mln.
The volume of trading on PFTS in 2023, according to its data, increased 3.6 times – up to 320.8 billion UAH, which amounted to 63% of the total trading volume of securities trading organizers in Ukraine, including in December – 28.6 billion UAH, or 66% of the total trading volume in the country.
In particular, the volume of government bonds traded on PFTS in 2023 increased 3 times to UAH 308.6 billion, corporate bonds of Ukrainian issuers – 20 times to UAH 1 billion (due to the recovery of primary placements), bonds of foreign countries – 5 times to UAH 0.7 billion, but transactions with shares were carried out for only UAH 19.4 million.
In December 2023, 39 participants of trades on PFTS concluded transactions with 48 issues of securities (Ukrainian government bonds – 33, Eurobonds of Ukraine – 1, corporate bonds of Ukrainian issuers – 7, bonds of a foreign state – 6, shares of Ukrainian issuers – 1), and in total in 2023 transactions were concluded by 49 participants with 114 issues of securities.
As of January 1, 2024, the number of PFTS members admitted to trading was 51: 30 banks and 21 financial companies. 353 issues of securities were admitted to trading on the exchange, of which 119 were in the Exchange Register.
At one time, LLC Emporium, established in 2007, was the owner of regional breweries OJSC PBC Krym, CJSC Dnipropetrovsk Brewery Dnipro, CJSC Firma Poltavpivo and OJSC Lugansk Brewery, but later SCM withdrew from this business. Emporium’s core business is commercial and management consulting.
Forecast of changes in discount rate of National Bank of Ukraine, % 
Source: Open4Business.com.ua and experts.news
A number of leading agrarian associations have appealed to the Prime Minister of Ukraine with a request to influence the resolution of the situation on the possible deterioration of trade conditions with the European Union in agro-food products, the press service of the Ukrainian Club of Agrarian Business (UCAB) reported.
The association was reminded that on June 6, 2024, the EU’s additional trade preferences for Ukraine, under which the existing customs tariffs and tariff quotas for all categories of goods were canceled for Ukrainian exports, will expire. On January 31, the European Commission officially published a draft EU Regulation on the extension of autonomous trade preferences for Ukraine for the next calendar year (from June 6, 2024 to June 5, 2025).
It is stated that the draft regulation introduces restrictions on imports to the EU of certain groups of goods (chicken, sugar and eggs) “sensitive” for European agricultural producers. In particular, it is proposed to renew the tariff quotas agreed within the framework of the Full and Comprehensive Free Trade Area between Ukraine and the EU for these commodity groups if from January 1, 2024 the volumes of their imports from Ukraine exceed the arithmetic average of import volumes for 2022-2023. According to EU legislation, the draft regulation still has to be considered in the European Parliament and the EU Council of Ministers.
“For the agri-food sector of Ukraine, these preferences were particularly important, canceling a number of tariff quotas on imports to the EU market for key export goods – from cereals and oilseeds to sugar, poultry meat, eggs, fruit and vegetable products – and providing an opportunity for Ukrainian exporters to maintain production, jobs and ensure the receipt of foreign currency earnings during 2022-2023,” the associations noted in their appeal.
At the same time, they cited data from the State Customs Service, according to which agro-exports of Ukraine for 2023 amounted to 61% of total exports of goods from Ukraine and were equivalent to $21.9 billion, compared to 53% and $23.4 billion respectively a year earlier.
At the same time, the EU’s share in total agri-food exports from Ukraine in 2023 amounted to 56.6% (55.1% in 2022), or $12.4 billion ($12.9 billion respectively).
“The issue of maintaining maximum open access for Ukrainian agri-food products to the EU market will be vital for Ukraine’s trade balance in the coming years and the survival of Ukraine’s agricultural sector. If trade restrictions are implemented, Ukraine will face a significant reduction in foreign currency earnings from exports of major agri-food products,” the business community predicts.
Agrarian associations called on the government to facilitate access of Ukrainian agro-products to the EU market and the establishment of a direct dialog with European partners. In particular, they ask to include in the agenda of the next Ukraine-EU Summit the issues of continuation of autonomous trade preferences for Ukrainian agro-food products with minimum restrictions and preservation of the activity of the Ukraine-EU Trade Coordination Platform as the main platform for exchange of information on current issues in trade.
The appeal was signed by the All-Ukrainian Agrarian Forum, the Ukrainian Agrarian Business Club, the Agrarian Union of Ukraine, the All-Ukrainian Agrarian Rada, the Union of Poultry Farmers of Ukraine, and the Ukrainian Agrarian Confederation.
leading agrarian associations, trade conditions with the European Union, Ukrainian Club of Agrarian Business
