The United States has sent a shipment of 60 Bradley infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) to Ukraine, the U.S. Armed Forces Transportation Command (TRANSCOM) said.
“A shipment of more than 60 Bradleys left North Charleston, South Carolina, last week; they will provide Ukrainian forces with additional offensive and defensive capabilities,” the statement said.
At the same time, it is indicated that the U.S. Transportation Command of the Armed Forces is delivering the first batch of Bradley infantry fighting vehicles to Ukraine as part of a $2.85 billion military assistance package, which was announced earlier in January.
The Bradley has a three-man crew and can carry up to six infantrymen in a troop compartment. The BMP entered service in 1981, and a total of 9,753 copies of different versions were produced. They were used by U.S. troops in the wars in the Persian Gulf, Iraq and Afghanistan.
The total amount of U.S. military aid to Ukraine since February 2022 was $27.1 billion, the command recalled.
Quotes of interbank currency market of Ukraine (UAH for €1, in 01.11.2022-30.11.2022)
Source: Open4Business.com.ua and experts.news
The State Service of Ukraine for Food Safety and Consumer Protection and Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine in 2022 agreed 22 forms of international veterinary certificates for exporting animal products to 12 countries.
As follows from the agency’s press release issued on Monday, last year the market was opened to Albania for semi-finished meat from Ukraine; to Georgia for snails; to Dominica for milk and dairy products; to Israel for ornamental freshwater fish, live rabbits, chewed pet items, fresh and treated skins and hides; to Canada for poultry meat and products; to Kenya for milk and dairy products.
In addition, export of Ukrainian chewed pet items, raw and canned pet food to Northern Macedonia, pet food to Singapore; hatching eggs, canned and processed pet food to Serbia; processed animal protein products (not for human consumption) and fish products to Turkey, table eggs to Pakistan, and meat products and semi-finished products to Montenegro is permitted.
Gosprodpotrebtsluzhba also stressed that in 2022 to 432 increased the number of enterprises-producers of animal products with the right to export their products to the EU, which is 53 more than it was at the beginning of 2022. By comparison, for 2021, 23 businesses received such a right.
“This positive dynamics in increasing the number of Ukrainian exporters to the European market is extremely important in the context of Ukraine’s status as a candidate country for accession to the European Union. The work in this direction will continue permanently and if the requirements of the Association Agreement with the EU are fulfilled as part of our obligations to join the European Union, this number will increase daily”, – the agency summarized in a press release.
Stock indices of most major countries in the Asia-Pacific region (APR) are declining ahead of meetings of the world’s major central banks.
Traders evaluated the statistical data from China and Japan.
China’s Shanghai Composite index was down 0.35% by 7:41 a.m.
China’s Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) for the manufacturing sector rose to 50.1 points in January from 47 points a month earlier, data from China’s State Bureau of Statistics (SBS) showed. Experts on average expected it to rise to 49.8 points, Trading Economics noted.
The PMI above the 50-point mark indicates an increase in activity in the industrial sector. The value of the index exceeded this level for the first time since September against the background of the lifting of anti-commodity restrictions.
Combined profits of major Chinese industrial enterprises fell 4 percent year on year to 8.4 trillion yuan ($1.24 trillion) in 2022, according to the country’s State Statistics Bureau (SBS).
At the same time, the rate of decline accelerated compared to January-November, when the decline was 3.6%.
Meanwhile, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng indicator collapsed by 1.5%.
Sunny Optical Technology Group Co. Ltd. (-5.6%), Hang Lung Properties Ltd. (-5.3%) and Wharf Real Estate Investment Co. Ltd. (-4.2%).
Japan’s Nikkei 225 index was down 0.2% by 7:39 a.m.
Japan’s retail sales rose for the tenth month in a row in December 2022, the rate of increase accelerated and was better than analysts’ expectations.
Sales rose 3.8% from December 2021, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said. They were up 2.5% in November.
Experts polled by Trading Economics predicted a 3% increase on average.
Shares of Nippon Light Metal Holdings Co. Ltd. (-6.8%), Daiichi Sankyo Co. Ltd. (-4.5%) and Resona Holdings Inc. (-2.8%).
The value of South Korea’s Kospi dropped 0.9%.
Shares of one of the world’s largest chip and electronics maker Samsung Electronics Co. fell 3.3%. The company cut its operating profit by 69% in the fourth quarter compared with a year earlier amid a sharp drop in demand in its memory chip and smartphone divisions.
Shares of automaker Hyundai Motor fell 1.5%.
Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 index lost about 0.1% on the day.
The capitalization of the world’s largest mining companies BHP and Rio Tinto increased by 0.3% and 0.9% respectively.
At the same time the securities of Pilbara Minerals Ltd. fell by 5%.
Export Credit Agency (ECA) and state export credit agency of Slovakia Eximbanka SR signed a memorandum of understanding that defines main principles of cooperation between them in promoting export of goods and services of Ukraine and Slovakia, ECA website reports.
“By signing the Memorandum of Understanding, we are laying the groundwork for further unlocking trade and investment potential between our neighboring countries in the current difficult times. From the point of view of Eximbanka SR, the memorandum of understanding is a new impetus for a deepened partnership and strengthens our confidence in continuing cooperation in the form of concrete projects of mutual interest,” commented the event in Slovak Eximbanka SR.
According to the report, according to the State Statistics Service of Ukraine, the total trade turnover of Ukraine with Slovakia to full-scale military operations on the territory of Ukraine in 2021 was $1.84 billion. Ukraine had a positive balance in trade with Slovakia: the volume of exports was $0.93 billion while imports were $0.91 billion. Ukraine’s share of Slovakia’s imports was 0.9%.
“In 2021, we saw our trade volume grow by 20.8% ($332.2 million). Unfortunately, raw materials still remain the main export items from Ukraine to Slovakia,” notes Oksana Ocheretyana, a member of the ECA board.
These are, particularly, sales of ores, slags and ashes – 47.8% ($539.6 million), ferrous metals – 8.8% ($87.7 million), wood and wood products – 4.2% ($41.5 million).
“ECA’s task is to change that,” Ocheretianna stressed.
According to her, the Slovak market has demand for Ukrainian electric cars (in 2021, it increased its purchases by 33.1% to $90.8 million), railway locomotives (Ukrainian exports in this commodity group grew by 22.8% in 2021 to $17.1 million), Ukrainian furniture (presence of furniture manufacturers in the Slovak market during this period increased almost twice and the export volume was $9.8 million).
“Exporters of all these commodity groups can be supported by ECA within the framework of current products of the company”, says a member of ECA board.
Eximbanka SR is a state export credit agency of Slovakia, established in 1997 to promote export activities of Slovak businesses. Eximbanka SR offers a wide range of financial products: financing, credit insurance for exporters, guarantees.
As earlier reported, the ECA was established to promote export of goods (works, services) of Ukrainian origin and support exporters who are residents of Ukraine through insurance, reinsurance and provision of guarantees under contracts ensuring export development.
From January 7, 2023 the National Bank was authorized to regulate the activities of the Export Credit Agency, which has to bring it in line with the requirements established by the decree and submit documents for obtaining a license until July 7, 2023, in the manner prescribed by the regulator.
A 1 MW gas-turbine station, which will be the first in Ukraine, will be opened in Irpen on January 31, the head of the National Energy Regulator of the NKREKU Konstantin Ushchapovsky said.
“Tomorrow you have a landmark event – the opening of Ukraine’s first gas turbine station, which will allow to power the entire critical energy infrastructure of the city, if necessary,” – said Ushchapovsky during a meeting of the commission on Monday, addressing the mayor of Irpen Alexander Markushin, who was present at this meeting.
For his part, Markushin confirmed the information about the opening of the station, specifying that its capacity is 1 MW.
As reported, in late December 2022, Prime Minister of Ukraine Denis Shmygal in an interview with Interfax-Ukraine called gas turbine and gas piston mini power plants one of the options for creating alternative mobile generation in conditions of damage to the existing generation by Russian shelling.
