Maidan-Vilsky quarry LLC, part of Golden Tile ceramic group, intends to expand production and continue mining.
According to documentation available to the Interfax-Ukraine agency, it is expected to “conduct an environmental impact assessment procedure in connection with the expansion and changes in the planned activities for the construction and subsequent operation of the feldspar feldspar charge magnetic enrichment complex by the wet method.”
The timing of the environmental impact assessment is not disclosed.
Golden Tile Ceramic Group is a vertically integrated group of companies providing a full cycle of production and distribution of ceramic tiles.
According to the official website of the group, its structure includes PrJSC Kharkiv Tile Plant (Kharkiv), Maidan-Vilsky Quarry LLC, Maidan-Vilsky Refractories Plant LLC (both in Khmelnytsky region), PA Shakhtostroy (Donetsk region) and Golden Tile LLC (Kiev, official distributor of the Kharkiv Tile Plant).
Ukrainian steelmaking companies in 2022, according to operational data, reduced the production of total rolled steel by 72% compared with the previous year – up to 5.350 million tons.
According to the association Ukrmetallurgprom, for 12 months of 2022, steel production fell by 70.7% – to 6.263 million tons, iron – by 69.8%, to 6.391 million tons.
As reported, in 2021, 21.165 million tons of cast iron (103.6% by 2020), 21.366 million tons of steel (103.6%), 19.079 million tons of rolled steel (103.5%) were produced.
U.S. auto sales in 2022 are down 8% to 13.7 million, data from research firm Wards Intelligence show.
This is the worst figure since 2011, writes The Wall Street Journal. Sales exceeded the 17 million car mark for five consecutive years before the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020.
A number of auto executives were encouraged by the relatively strong fourth-quarter sales volume amid an improving parts supply situation. Now, however, some experts fear there could be demand problems amid rising interest rates and high inflation putting negative pressure on potential buyers.
“Things are going to get a lot tougher in 2023,” said Hyundai U.S. head Randy Parker, referring to rising interest rates. His company reported a slight decline in sales last year.
“At the beginning of last year, the industry as a whole was planning to sell more than 16 million vehicles,” notes Toyota Motor’s North American sales director Jack Hollis. But companies quickly retracted their projections as companies were forced to suspend or reduce production because of shortages of parts, and primarily chips.
“It’s not the end of the world,” Hollis believes. He said there are early signs that parts shortages and rising raw material prices are easing. Many automakers reported improved sales near the end of last year as chip supplies began to improve.
Toyota’s Hollis predicts that 15 million cars will be sold in the U.S. in 2023. Edmunds analysts estimate the figure will be 14.8 million.
Nissan Motor’s sales fell about 25 percent last year, but declined only 2 percent in the fourth quarter amid increased availability of semiconductors. “The situation has definitely gotten better,” said Judy Wheeler, who oversees Nissan’s U.S. sales.
Electric cars in the country accounted for about 6 percent of the market in 2022, up from about 3 percent a year earlier, according to J.D. Power.
That included Tesla increasing production of electric cars by 47% to 1.37 million in 2022. The company’s deliveries rose 40% to 1.31 million.
As reported, General Motors regained leadership in the U.S. market last year, overtaking Japan’s Toyota in sales.
GM sales rose 3% to 2,274,088,000 vehicles. Sales of electric cars jumped 58% to 39,179,000, the company said.
Toyota sold 2 million 108,458,000 vehicles in the U.S. last year, 10% less than in 2021. At the same time, sales of cars with electric motors, including hybrids, decreased 14% to 504,016 thousand, according to the automaker.
In 2021, Toyota for the first time became the sales leader in the U.S. market, surpassing GM, which has retained the first position since 1931.
Oil prices are declining in trading on Tuesday after a strong rise in the previous session.
The cost of March futures on London’s ICE Futures Exchange for Brent is $79.16 a barrel by 7:08 a.m. (EET) on Tuesday, down $0.49 (0.62%) from the close of the previous session. At the close of trading on Monday those contracts grew by $1.08 (1.37%) to $79.65 a barrel.
The price of WTI futures for February crude oil at electronic trades of NYMEX fell by that time by $0.40 (0.54%) to $74.23 per barrel. By closing of previous trades the cost of these contracts grew by $0.86 (1.17%) to $74.63 per barrel.
Brent has fallen by 8.5% and WTI by 8.1% at the end of the previous week.
Pressure on the oil market was put by “hawkish” statements by representatives of the U.S. Federal Reserve (Fed), Trading Economics wrote. Mary Daley, head of the Federal Reserve Bank (FRB) of San Francisco, said she thinks the U.S. central bank will have to raise the rate above 5% to fight inflation.
“I think a level above 5 percent is absolutely likely,” she told The Wall Street Journal.
Her counterpart at the Atlanta Fed, Rafael Bostic, also reiterated an earlier view that the rate would be raised to more than 5 percent. Currently, its range is 4.25-4.5%.
Investors are also cautious ahead of the Lunar New Year, fearing that increased travel by Chinese citizens could lead to an increase in the incidence of coronavirus worldwide, Trading Economics noted.
The U.S. dollar is declining against the euro and the Japanese yen and is rising against the pound sterling in trading on Tuesday.
The ICE-calculated index, which shows the dollar’s movement against six currencies (euro, Swiss franc, yen, Canadian dollar, pound sterling and Swedish krona), is up 0.17% in trading, while the broader WSJ Dollar Index is losing 0.05%.
The euro/dollar pair is trading at $1.0743 as of 7:34 a.m. Ksk on Tuesday, up from $1.0735 at the close of the previous session.
The U.S. currency pair with the yen dropped to 131.74 yen, compared to 131.89 yen in previous trading.
Pound to dollar exchange rate fell to $1.2173 against $1.2185 on Monday.
Investors are inclined to believe that the U.S. Federal Reserve (Fed) may be close to completing its tightening of monetary policy, despite hawkish statements from the regulator’s management.
Mary Daley, head of the Federal Reserve Bank (Fed) of San Francisco, said she believes the U.S. central bank will have to raise the rate above 5% to fight inflation.
Her colleague at the Atlanta Fed, Rafael Bostic, also confirmed his earlier opinion that the rate would be raised to more than 5%. Currently, its range is 4.25-4.5%.
Meanwhile, the easing of anti-coronaval restrictions in China is spurring demand for risky assets.
The Chinese yuan is up 0.1% at 6.7640 yuan/$1 from 6.7725 yuan/$1 the day before.
The ICE-calculated index showing the dollar’s dynamics against six currencies (euro, Swiss franc, yen, Canadian dollar, pound sterling and Swedish krona) is up 0.17% in trading, while the broader WSJ Dollar Index is losing 0.05%.
The euro/dollar pair is trading at $1.0743 as of 7:34 a.m. Ksk on Tuesday, up from $1.0735 at the close of the previous session.
The U.S. currency pair with the yen dropped to 131.74 yen, compared to 131.89 yen in previous trading.
Pound to dollar exchange rate fell to $1.2173 against $1.2185 on Monday.
Investors are inclined to believe that the U.S. Federal Reserve (Fed) may be close to completing its tightening of monetary policy, despite hawkish statements from the regulator’s management.
Mary Daley, head of the Federal Reserve Bank (Fed) of San Francisco, said she believes the U.S. central bank will have to raise the rate above 5% to fight inflation.
Her colleague at the Atlanta Fed, Rafael Bostic, also confirmed his earlier opinion that the rate would be raised to more than 5%. Currently, its range is 4.25-4.5%.
Meanwhile, the easing of anti-coronaval restrictions in China is spurring demand for risky assets.
The Chinese yuan is up 0.1% at 6.7640 yuan/$1 from 6.7725 yuan/$1 the day before.
EURO, pound, U.S. dollar, yen
The labor market in Ukraine recovered by 50% in 2023, this year employers predict a shortage of skilled employees and wage increases by 8-30%
These are the results of a December study presented on Monday by Work.ua.
“The Ukrainian labor market greeted the New Year under the blast of checkers, but with all the problems immediately got down to business. Job seekers activated already on January 2 and in the first week of the month showed more activity than in similar periods in all previous 10 years,” – said in the message.
Specialists Work.ua noted that in December 2022 the number of proposals amounted to 53.179 thousand job vacancies: despite the expected decline of business activity during the winter, shelling and blackouts, the labor market showed a better result than in December last year.
According to published information, at the end of 2022, employers placed 89% of vacancies in Ukrainian language and only 8% – in Russian. Lviv was and still is the most Ukrainianized city – 97% of vacancies in Ukrainian, closely followed by Kiev – 89%. At the same time the highest dynamics of growth of Ukrainian (twice) and decline of Russian is shown by Dnepr, Kharkiv and Odessa.
The company stressed that by the end of 2022 the greatest dynamics of recovery in December compared with November showed the front-line regions: Kherson region – 66%, Nikolaev region – 34%, Donetsk region – 30%, Kharkiv region – 10%. Noteworthy: after the de-occupation of Kherson, the number of vacancies in the region increased fourfold – from 37 in October to 164 in December.
It is noted that during the year 2022, fraudsters have become more active. Thus, the site Work.ua removed more than 600 fraudulent vacancies from “marriage agencies” and streaming platforms.
The average salary in Ukraine in 2022 kept at the level of 15 thousand UAH. At the same time the highest salary was offered in the Kiev region – 17.5 thousand UAH and remotely – 22.5 thousand UAH. But in 2023 employers predict an increase of salaries from 8% to 30% depending on field of business, military and economic situation in the country.
In 2022 the labor market about 2 million applicants have updated or have posted their resumes. In December-2022 there were 35% fewer new candidates than in December-2021.
Against the background of migration of Ukrainians abroad, joining the AFU, and power outages, the total number of people of working age in the labor market has decreased. Employers predict a shortage of qualified personnel in 2023, if Ukrainians do not start to return from abroad.
It is specified, that the highest salaries (not IT or managers) in December 2022 were offered to driver – international – 40 thousand UAH, car dealer – 35 thousand UAH, realtor – 30 thousand UAH, diesel mechanic – 29 thousand UAH. The increase of wages of the latter is connected with the increase of the use and the necessity of service of generators.
The smallest salary in December was offered to cleaners – 8 thousand UAH, veterinarian assistants – 9 thousand UAH and dishwashers – 9 thousand UAH.
