Stock indices of the largest Asia-Pacific countries do not show the same dynamics during the trading on Monday.
The positive factor for the Chinese stock market is the news about the gradual lifting of anti-hygienic restrictions in the country, writes Trading Economics.
Meanwhile, China’s service sector business activity index fell to 46.7 points in November from 48.4 points a month earlier, the purchasing managers index (PMI) calculated by Caixin Media and S&P Global showed. Thus, it declined for the third month in a row.
The PMI value above the 50-point mark indicates growth of activity in the sector, while below it indicates its weakening. Analysts on average expected a less significant drop in the index to 47 points, according to Trading Economics.
China’s Shanghai Composite index was up 1.5 percent by 7:27 a.m. and had surpassed the 3,200-point mark for the first time in more than two months. Hong Kong Hang Seng indicator jumped 3.2%.
The shares of Alibaba Health Information Technology Ltd., which provides IT services in medical sphere, showed the most significant increase of 18.3% on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.
In addition, developer Sands China (SPB: 1928) and Longfor Group gained 14% and 8.8%, respectively, while restaurant chain owner Haidilao International Holding Ltd. – by 10.9%, consumer electronics maker Xiaomi (SPB: 1810) by 8.1% and Internet company Baidu by 7.9%.
Retailers Alibaba (SPB: BABA) and JD.com Inc. (SPB: JD) were up 5.2% and 7.5%, respectively, telecoms China Unicom and China Telecom (SPB: 728) up 6.4% and 4.5%.
In Shanghai, airlines including Air China (+1.9%), China Eastern Airlines (SPB: 670) (+4%) and China Southern Airlines (SPB: 1055) (+3.2%), alcohol producer Kweichow Moutai (+1.9%) and China Tourism Group Duty Free Corp. (+2.2%) are rising their share prices.
The value of Japan’s Nikkei 225 is around the level of Friday’s closing trading.
The top gainers among the index components are shares of pharmaceutical Eisai (+4.7%), cosmetics company Shiseido (+2.9%) and clothing retailer Fast Retailing (+2.8%).
Meanwhile, car makers Nissan Motor (-2.8%) and Isuzu Motors (-2.5%), optics makers Olympus Corp. (-3.4%) and Nikon Corp. (-2.7%) were falling in price.
South Korea’s Kospi Index was down 0.8% by 8:15 a.m. Moscow timeframe.
The stock quotes of one of the world’s largest chip and electronics maker Samsung Electronics Co. plunged 0.3%, automaker Hyundai Motor – 2.7%.
Australian S&P/ASX 200 index added 0.5%.
Share prices of the world’s largest mining companies BHP and Rio Tinto jumped by 2.7% and 3.9%, respectively.
At the same time the price of securities of Elders Ltd. providing services in the agricultural industry fell by 4.2% after UBS analysts worsened recommendations for them to “neutral level” from “buy”.
The U.S. Postal Service is looking for volunteers as Santa Clauses who will respond to children’s letters as part of the annual Operation Santa project.
The service says volunteers will not only be asked to review the letters, select the ones they like best and respond to them, but also to organize gifts on behalf of Santa.
The postal service’s website notes that each Santa will be able to work alone or in a team, such as involving his friends in gift shopping
Prospective Santa Clauses are asked to register for the “Operation Santa” program. It will run through Dec. 19.
In Ukraine in January-October this year registered 10,239 cases of HIV infection, which is 19% less than the same period last year, said the Center for Public Health (CPH) December 1 on the day of the World Day of AIDS.
The CHC specified that during the first nine months of this year, HIV testing decreased from 1.4 million to 1.1 million, with rapid tests being used 23% less frequently.
In addition, according to CCH, since the beginning of the year “access to preventive and medical services related to HIV has sharply decreased. This is especially true in regions where military operations are taking place or which are temporarily occupied.
At the same time, the CCH stresses that in the Ukrainian reality thousands of people living with the diagnosis remain at risk of interruption of HIV treatment today.
“Doctors may find it difficult to provide medical care during air raids and/or shelling. Patients change their place of residence and lose contact with their doctor. Logistical obstacles make it difficult to deliver medications to different parts of Ukraine, and because of hostilities and temporary occupation, some towns and villages are cut off from the general medical system altogether,” the report explains.
As reported, according to expert estimates, about 30% of those infected with HIV are unaware of their status. According to the Center for Public Health (CPH), in October 2022 in Ukraine 998 new cases of HIV were identified, 205 people were diagnosed with AIDS, 112 people died. In addition, 1,346 new cases of tuberculosis were diagnosed in October. As of the end of October there were 12039 people on TB treatment.
World AIDS Day is commemorated every year on December 1, 1988, at the initiative of WHO, after a meeting of all Ministers of Health called for social tolerance and enhanced exchange of information on HIV/AIDS.
The first ship with 25 thousand tons of Ukrainian grain has arrived to Ethiopia within the humanitarian program “Grain from Ukraine” of Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskyi, the press service of the President said.
“The first ship in the framework of the Ukrainian humanitarian program “Grain from Ukraine” on December 3 arrived in Ethiopia, delivering 25 thousand tons of Ukrainian wheat to the port of Dorale,” – said in the message.
Zelensky announced this program on November 15 during the G20 summit.
The second vessel, the loading of which is completing in the Ukrainian port of Chernomorsk, will go to Ethiopia next week with 30 thousand tons of wheat on board.
The third vessel will deliver 25 thousand tons of humanitarian wheat to Somalia (loading in Odessa port).
“In total, in the framework of the humanitarian initiative “Grain from Ukraine” our state plans to send more than 60 ships to Ethiopia, Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia, Congo, Kenya, Yemen, etc.,” – said in the message.
It is noted that more than $180 mln was attracted for implementation of this program.
Ukraine has deployed 5,200 POPs throughout Ukraine, which have been used by 100,000 people over the past two weeks, Deputy Head of the Presidential Office Kyrylo Tymoshenko said at a briefing in Kiev on Friday.
“We are tirelessly preparing for different scenarios of events, deploying more and more Indestructibility Points throughout the country. Over the past two weeks, 100,000 people have already used them. As of today, 5,248 points have been set up. All the points are provided with generators,” he said.
Thus, 4098 points were equipped by regional military administrations in cooperation with communities, 1028 points were provided by the State Service of Ukraine for Emergencies.
Timoshenko added that there are 1.3 million places for internally displaced persons in 15 regions. According to his data, 89% of them are occupied, most of all – in Vinnitsa, Poltava, Lviv, Cherkasy, Khmelnitsky and Kirovograd regions.
At the same time the largest number of vacancies is in Rivne, Zakarpattia, Odessa, Zhytomyr, Poltava and Volyn regions.
The deputy head of the OP added that the evacuation from the territories of active hostilities continues. Since August 2, 317,800 people have been evacuated, including 76,000 children, 8,000 people with disabilities.
The Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine (AMCU) allowed Aqua Solar Invest LLC (Bershad, Vinnytsia region) to purchase Kobylovoloki distillery (Kobylovoloki village, Ternopil region), which is part of Ukrspirt, and Vitagro Energy LLC (Gvardeyske village, Khmelnitsk region) was allowed to purchase the Marylivsky distillery (Nagirnyanka village, Ternopil region) from Ukrspirt.
The Committee approved the corresponding permits for the privatized assets at its meeting on December 1.
LLC “Aqua Solar Invest” won the right for privatization of Kobylivolokskyi distillery for UAH 70,25 mln on September 19, 2022.
According to the Unified State Register of Legal Entities and Individual Entrepreneurs, the ultimate beneficiaries of “Aqua Solar Invest” with a registered capital of 25 million UAH are Alexander Yaroshenko (25% in the share capital), Lilia Astapova (25%) and Elena Smirnova (25%), while until December 2020 the company was fully owned by Felix Lutsky. The legal entity is engaged in distillation, rectification and blending of alcoholic beverages, while before January 2021 its line of business was real estate trade.
This company already has experience in privatization of assets of state enterprise “Ukrspirt” – in October 2020 it won the online auction “Prozorro.Sells” the right to privatize Bershadskyi distillery for 19.81 million UAH, and in early February 2022 closed the deal to purchase it, having received permission of the AMCU.
The immovable property of the Kobylivolok distillery to be privatized with a total area of 11.5 thousand square meters is located on seven plots of land in Terebovlyansky district of Ternopil region with a total area of 36.95 hectares. The plant includes production buildings, granary, distillery, hangars, pumping stations, greenhouse, starch and malt shops, gas station, etc., as well as the technological equipment and the necessary communications.
The daily capacity of the distillery is 2.7 thousand dal of ethyl alcohol. The company was founded in 1905 and modernized in 2016. Production at the facility has been temporarily suspended.
In turn, Vitagro Energy won the right to privatize Marylivskyi distillery for UAH 150 mln on September 20, 2022.
According to the Unified State Register of Legal Entities and Individual Entrepreneurs, the ultimate beneficiary of Vitagro Energy LLC with a registered capital of 10 thousand UAH is Serhiy Labaziuk, a member of parliament (the Za Maybutne parliamentary faction). The main activity of the company is the production of electricity, but the legal entity may also engage in the cultivation of root crops and melons, as well as auxiliary activities in crop farming.
The company is part of the large Vitagro holding, which is engaged in the production and processing of crops, including fruits and vegetables, dairy farming and pig breeding. The Group cultivates about 85 thousand hectares of land in Khmelnytsky, Ternopil and Rivne regions and has a livestock of 110 thousand pigs.
According to Vitagro’s website, Vitagro Energy was founded in 2018 to develop renewable energy projects. The company has four solar power plants in the Khmelnitsky region on a total area of 29.5 hectares with a total capacity of 12.9 MW, and also works with other sources of renewable energy, such as wind and biomass.
The Marylivsky distillery is located in the village of Nagirnyanka, Chortkivsky district, Ternopil region. The list of assets includes 1518 items of buildings, equipment, movable and other property.
The enterprise is located on three land plots with a total area of 26.6 hectares and consists of an administration building, seven production shops, a bard storage facility, a starch workshop, greenhouses, hangars, warehouses for grain, finished products and alcohol, as well as other constructions and infrastructure facilities.
The distillery was founded in 1928, the maximum production capacity in 2009 was 7300 thousand dal per day.
Thus, the privatization of these two assets of Ukrspirt will allow the State Property Fund of Ukraine to transfer 220.25m dollars to the state budget.
