In the “Medium and Long-Term Market” section of the UEB, trading continued for February and March 2026. In total, six companies formed positions for the sale or purchase of natural gas: Ukrnafta, VK Ukrnaftoburinnya, SP BNK, Kyivvodokanal, LTK Elektrum, and Energo Zbut Trans. A total of 15.71 million cubic meters of natural gas was sold in this section, which is 10 times more than in the previous week. Natural gas was sold with delivery to the gas transmission system and underground gas storage facilities in February and March. The prices of the positions sold ranged from UAH 18,833 to UAH 20,833 per thousand cubic meters, excluding VAT.
On the short-term natural gas market of the UEB, participants formed bids on the intraday market and the day-ahead market. A total of 29 deals were concluded with a total volume of 1,087 (+26.88%) thousand cubic meters.
Fundamental indicators in Europe remained weak amid mild weather and stable gas supplies. Traditionally, from late March to May, there is a decline in demand for heating and cooling, which often leads to a seasonal decline in prices. This makes spring one of the most attractive periods of the year for concluding forward contracts. Prices may be relatively attractive before the summer heat or unexpected supply disruptions lead to renewed volatility. On Thursday, gas markets were characterized by high volatility in both directions across the curve.
The overall fill rate of EU gas storage facilities fell to 30.19% by February 25. The market expects lower withdrawal rates for the remainder of the winter period.
Natural gas imports from Europe averaged around 25.2 million cubic meters per day and were virtually unchanged from the previous week.
Thailand’s residential real estate market ended 2025 with a decline in the number of transactions and their value, but demand from foreigners for condominiums remained stable and partially offset the weakness of domestic buyers.
According to the Real Estate Information Center (REIC), in 2025, 316,214 transactions for the transfer of ownership of housing were registered in the country, which is 9.1% less than a year earlier, and the total value decreased by 11.8% to 864.913 billion baht.
In the fourth quarter, the authorities implemented short-term stimulus measures, reducing registration fees and easing LTV parameters for mortgages, which supported transactions at the end of the year.
REIC reports that in the fourth quarter of 2025, foreigners made 3,888 condominium purchases (year-on-year growth), and 14,899 units for the year, which is 2.2% more than in 2024. At the same time, the value of such transactions decreased by 10.7% over the year to 60.921 billion baht, indicating a shift in demand to a more affordable segment.
China remained the largest group of buyers, but its figures declined: REIC indicates that in 2025, Chinese citizens completed 4,940 transactions (about 33% of the total number of foreign transactions), while the value of these transactions decreased more significantly.
REIC published the most detailed breakdown by nationality for specific periods of 2025. According to REIC, in the first four months of 2025 (January-April), the top 10 countries by number of condominium purchases were as follows: China – 1,728, Myanmar – 566, Russia – 365, Taiwan – 225, France – 205, USA – 185, UK – 175, Germany – 144, Singapore – 103, Australia – 76.
In terms of transaction value for the same period, the top ten were: China – 7,097 million baht, Myanmar – 1,850 million, Russia – 1,246 million, Taiwan – 1,045 million, followed by the US, UK, France, Singapore, India, and Germany.
At the end of the first half of 2025, REIC reported a high concentration of transactions in Bangkok and Chonburi (more than 80%), with China, Myanmar, and Russia remaining among the leaders in terms of the number of purchases.
Separately, REIC noted the growing role of Russians and Taiwanese in the demand structure, while Ukrainian buyers did not make it into the top 10 in the REIC tables published for 2025. However, experts rank Ukrainian citizens among the top 20 most active buyers of Thai real estate.
REIC expects a scenario of “stability” for 2026 – transaction indicators may remain close to the 2025 level, without significant growth.
http://relocation.com.ua/thailands-housing-market-in-2025-supported-by-foreigners/
One of the most telling factors in the annual dynamics of complaints against insurers received by the National Bank of Ukraine in 2025 was a significant decrease in the percentage of actual violations of the law among the total number of complaints (17.9% versus 30% in 2024).
“This indicates that the lion’s share of complaints is due not to unlawful actions by insurers, but to communication problems,” concluded experts from the Insurance Business Association (IBA), based on the NBU’s report on handling complaints from financial services consumers in 2025.
According to the ASB press release, consumers often do not fully understand the terms of the contract due to the complexity of the wording or insufficient explanation from insurers when concluding the agreement. Formalities in settlement and poor explanations of payment calculation algorithms (e.g., depreciation accounting, according to the law) create a false impression of a violation of rights, even though the insurer is acting within the law.
In addition, according to the report, in 2025, the NBU processed a total of 28,440 thousand written appeals, of which 1,473 thousand were related to the activities of insurers. Among the key issues that concerned customers were non-payment of insurance compensation (716 complaints) and incomplete payment (508 complaints).
“The analysis of the data indicates the stability of the insurance sector and a significant improvement in the quality of insurance claims settlement, despite the challenges of wartime,” the ASB emphasizes.
According to the association’s CEO, Vyacheslav Chernyakhovsky, the 2025 figures demonstrate the phenomenal ability of Ukrainian insurance to raise customer service standards even during wartime. Considering that insurance companies (excluding health insurance payments) made more than 540,000 payments during the year, the complaint rate was 0.25%.
“This is significantly better than in the markets of the world’s leading countries, where this indicator is usually 0.5-1%. Year after year, insurers confirm their status as the most customer-oriented segment of the financial market,” he emphasized.
According to Chernyakhovsky, particularly noticeable progress has been made in the field of compulsory civil liability insurance for owners of land vehicles (OSCPV). Thanks to the introduction in 2025 of a new law that replaced controversial “expertise” payments with direct compensation through repair work at service stations, the number of complaints has decreased significantly. With 150,900 payments made under CMTPL, the Motor (Transport) Insurance Bureau of Ukraine received only 478 complaints, compared to 740 in 2024.
The increase in myopia (nearsightedness) is largely related not to “screens as such,” but to a combination of prolonged work at close range and insufficient lighting in the room, according to a hypothesis by researchers at SUNY College of Optometry, presented in a press release accompanying a publication in Cell Reports.
The authors link the possible mechanism to the fact that when focusing on close objects, the pupil can constrict not only from bright light, but also as part of accommodation—to increase clarity. In dim lighting conditions, this can significantly reduce the illumination of the retina, which, according to the researchers, may be a common “link” for myopia risk factors and for some approaches to its control, including time spent outdoors. At the same time, the authors themselves emphasize that this is a testable hypothesis and further research is needed.
The problem of myopia is seen as a long-term global trend: one of the most cited forecasts (a meta-analysis in Ophthalmology) predicts that by 2050, myopia could affect about half of the world’s population, with high myopia affecting about 10%.
To date, the evidence base generally supports the role of “lifestyle”: more time spent outdoors is statistically associated with a lower risk of developing myopia and slower eyeball elongation in children, and one of the biological pathways under discussion is light-stimulated dopamine release in the retina, which may inhibit axial elongation of the eye. In practical terms, ophthalmologists usually advise reading and studying in sufficient general lighting, taking regular breaks when working at close range, and spending more time in daylight; if you have complaints or your vision deteriorates rapidly, it is recommended that you have your eyes checked by a specialist.
Myopia
In an exclusive comment to Interfax-Ukraine, Ukraine’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Israel Yevhen Korniychuk spoke about evacuation routes from Israel for Ukrainians wishing to leave the country due to the deteriorating security situation in the region.
According to the diplomat, there have been direct hits in Israel, although few. In total, more than 10 people have been killed and about 130 wounded to varying degrees. The airport was closed at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday. The embassy is constantly updating information on its website for Ukrainian citizens who are temporarily staying in Israel and have not yet managed to leave the country.
Kornichuk emphasized that it is necessary to strictly follow the instructions of the Israeli Home Front Command; constantly monitor official reports from local authorities and the Embassy of Ukraine in the State of Israel; minimize movement and avoid places of mass gatherings; and find out in advance the location of the nearest shelters.
According to the diplomat, the embassy is keeping track of citizens seeking assistance in leaving the country, and at the moment, about 30 people have signed up for evacuation. He noted that the number of people wishing to leave will increase, so the embassy will try to organize group departures, in particular by booking buses to the Taba checkpoint (border with Egypt) at the expense of sponsors.
According to Korniychuk, private transport is still operating in the country, so Ukrainian citizens can evacuate independently. Currently, there are two routes available.
Route through Egypt – get to Eilat, cross the border on foot at Taba (open 24/7, crossing at any time). A valid Ukrainian passport (valid for at least 6 months) is required. If your stay in Egypt exceeds 14 days or you plan to travel from Sinai to Cairo, etc., you will need to purchase a visa for approximately $30 in cash. From Taba to Sharm el-Sheikh Airport – ≈160 km (shuttle buses or private taxi ≈$150).
The diplomat specifically clarified that charter flights from Sharm el-Sheikh are only available to those who arrived in Egypt on these same charter flights earlier. Independent departure does not guarantee boarding a charter flight. It is recommended to purchase only scheduled tickets.
The second evacuation route through Jordan is via the Allenby Bridge checkpoint. It takes 1.5-2 hours to get from Tel Aviv to the border. After crossing the border, it takes about an hour to get to Amman airport by car or bus (which run regularly).
However, during a conversation with the ambassador, additional restrictions became known. The Ukrainian Embassy in Jordan published a post stating that the Kingdom’s Civil Aviation Authority had announced a partial and temporary closure of Jordanian airspace to all aircraft (arrival, departure, transit). The closure is in effect daily from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m. the following day (local time), starting on the evening of March 2 and continuing until further notice.
Passengers are advised to contact their airlines directly for schedule details and possible changes.
“The embassy continues to monitor the situation and update its recommendations on its official website,” he concluded.
Hotline of the Embassy of Ukraine in Israel: +972 54 667 67 82 (Viber, Telegram), email: consul_il@mfa.gov.ua
As reported, due to the escalation of the security situation in the Middle East and the threat of rocket attacks and assaults, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs recommends that Ukrainian citizens refrain from traveling to the State of Israel until the situation stabilizes and reminds them of the current recommendation to refrain from traveling to the Islamic Republic of Iran and to leave its territory, which was announced in early January.
We recommend that all Ukrainian citizens in the countries of the region remain vigilant, closely follow the reports of the local competent authorities of the countries of stay, strictly observe security measures, and always carry identity documents with them.
On February 28, the US and Israel launched a joint large-scale military operation against Iran (called “Lion’s Roar” in Israel and “Epic Fury” in the US). The strikes targeted military, missile, and nuclear facilities, as well as the country’s leadership. As a result of the attacks, Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed, along with a number of high-ranking officials, including the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the defense minister.
In response, Iran launched massive missile and drone strikes on Israel, as well as on US military bases and facilities in the Persian Gulf countries (UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Jordan). There have been civilian casualties in Israel (including nine people killed in Beit Shemesh by a direct ballistic missile strike), wounded US military personnel, and significant damage to infrastructure.
Foreign direct investment (FDI) in mainland China’s economy fell by 5.7% in January to 92.01 billion yuan ($13.4 billion), according to the country’s Ministry of Commerce. The manufacturing sector attracted 26.09 billion yuan, while the service sector attracted 64.04 billion yuan. Investment in high-tech industries increased by 0.6% year-on-year to 33.75 billion yuan.
FDI from Germany to China grew by 86.6%, from Switzerland by 57.4%, and from Singapore by 10.9%.
At the same time, 5,306 new enterprises with foreign capital participation were registered in the country last month, which is 25.5% more than in January 2025.
As reported, FDI fell by 9.5% in 2025.
