National bank of Ukraine’s official rates as of 16/12/21
Source: National Bank of Ukraine
Official rates of banking metals from national bank as of December 16
One troy ounce=31.10 grams
In January-October 2021, Ukrainian banks issued 8,700 mortgage loans in the amount of UAH 7 billion, which is twice as high as the figure over ten months of 2020 in the number of such loans and 2.5 times more in the volume, the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) said on Wednesday following a monthly survey of banks. According to it, lending in October decreased by 4.7% over the month in terms of the volume of mortgage loans (UAH 774 million) and increased by 2% in terms of the number – to 963 agreements.
The press service noted that the mortgage lending market remains concentrated: the five most active banks have concluded 90% of new deals.
Loans for the purchase of housing in the secondary real estate market are still overtaking the primary market: in October, their share exceeded 90% of all mortgage loans issued, both in terms of the number of contracts and in terms of the money volume, the press release says.
According to the survey, the average amount of a mortgage loan in October was lower than in September – UAH 803,900 versus UAH 858,100.
According to the NBU, in October the average effective rate of a mortgage loan in the secondary market decreased by 0.4 percentage points, to 13.5%, and in the primary market – by 2 percentage points, to 14.9%.
Since December 16, Italy has banned optional trips to its territory for Ukrainian citizens in connection with coronavirus (COVID-19) infection pandemic, including for tourism purposes, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine (MFA) said.
“According to the updated rules for crossing the border with the Italian Republic, in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic, Ukraine has been included in the list of countries in list E from December 16, 2021, which provides for a ban on optional travel of Ukrainian citizens, including for tourism purposes,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine said on website: tripadvisor.mfa.gov.ua.
An exception is made by citizens of Ukraine, holders of a residence permit in Italy, or those citizens who enter Italy for confirmed reasons of work, study, medical treatment or absolute necessity. In some cases, according to the decision of the Italian competent authorities and if there are well-reasoned reasons, the entry into the country of persons who have confirmed and stable personal relations with Italian citizens may be allowed.
Upon entry, citizens of Ukraine from these categories must complete the Passenger Locator Form, an on-line sanitary control form, available at https://app.euplf.eu/ before arrival; present a certificate (certificate) of a negative result of molecular testing (made no more than 72 hours before arrival) or express testing for COVID-19 (made no more than 24 hours before arrival); activate health surveillance procedures in medical institutions in accordance with the territory of residence and go through ten days of self-isolation, at the end of which, retesting to confirm a negative result (molecular or rapid test).
With a cumulative rating of 1.74 out of 5, Ukraine ranks 21st in the ranking of the investment potential of developing countries in terms of energy transition, and 48th globally. This is stated in the tenth Climatescope report, which is carried out annually by the analytical center of the Bloomberg agency – BloombergNEF – and covers 136 countries of the world (107 developing and 29 developed).
Analysts note the country’s progress in fulfilling the First Nationally Determined Contribution to the Paris Agreement, according to which Ukraine pledged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 60% of the 1990 levels by 2030, but did so much earlier. So, in 2019, according to the draft Ukraine’s Greenhouse Gas Inventory for 1990-2019, carbone dioxide emissions amounted to 332 million tonnes – 37.6% of the 1990 level.
It is also indicated that Ukraine, according to the updated Nationally Determined Contribution, pledged to reduce emissions by 65% by 2030 and increase the share of renewable energy sources (RES) in electromix to 25% by 2035.
The report notes that Ukraine has met the previous target of increasing the share of renewables to 11% by 2020, in particular thanks to financial incentives and benefits from the government.
The analysts also mention “green” auctions, which are expected in 2022-2025.
At the same time, the issue for refusing fossil fuels refers to Ukraine’s promise to abandon coal energy by 2035, which was given by representatives of the Ukrainian delegation at the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow. At the same time, in a comment to the Green Deal portal, Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine Olha Stefanishyna said that the Cabinet of Ministers did not approve official documents in order to abandon coal generation by 2035, and the Ministry of Energy will have to adjust this date.
Analyzing the transport sector of Ukraine, the experts draw attention to the goal of the National Transport Strategy to achieve a 75% share of electric transport in domestic transport by 2030, a bill regulating the operation of only electric buses on the routes after 2030, as well as a bill that prohibits the import of gasoline and diesel cars to Ukraine from 2030.
Despite the absence of grants or loans for the purchase of electric vehicles, Ukraine intends, with the support of the EBRD, to introduce interest-free loans for these purposes, BloombergNEF says. At the same time, it is noted that in Ukraine since 2016 the import duty on electric vehicles has not been levied and the VAT exemption has been extended until 2022.
The weakest dynamics of development is observed in the housing and utilities services sector. The analysts emphasize that Ukraine is highly dependent on gas for heating buildings, while energy efficiency standards are at the minimum level. At the same time, the “warm loans” program is mentioned.
Ukraine in January-November 2021 increased imports of oil and petroleum raw materials (according to foreign economic activity code 2709) by 17.3% (by 199,077 tonnes) compared to the same period in 2020 – to 1.350 million tonnes.
According to the State Customs Service, over 11 months, raw materials worth $ 694.733 million were imported, which is 1.8 times more than in January-November 2020 ($ 377.031 million), including from Azerbaijan – for $ 485.761 million, Algeria – for $ 100.146 million, Libya – for $ 92.303 million, other countries – for $ 16.523 million.
In addition, Ukraine in January-November 2021 exported 89,963 tonnes of oil to Romania for $ 27.133 million. This volume was exported in March by the international trader Trafigura. The resource was purchased from JSC Ukrtransnafta, which, in turn, in the spring of 2020 bought it at a decline in prices for subsequent resale.
The export of oil and crude oil by Ukraine in January-November 2020 amounted to 80,000 tonnes for $ 24.351 million. Exports were carried out to Belarus by Ukrtransnafta, which in the spring of 2020, amid the decline in prices, bought Azerbaijani oil with its subsequent sale to its subsidiary BNK.
