Ukrainian enterprises in January-May 2019 decreased exports of ferrous scrap metal by 85.7% compared to January-May 2018, to 36,515 tonnes (250,984 tonnes in January-May 2018). According to customs statistics released by the State Fiscal Service of Ukraine, exports of scrap metal in monetary terms fell by 88.1%, to $9.983 million ($83.484 million a year ago).
Some 8,086 tonnes of scrap metal was exported in May, 8,791 tonnes in April, 8,246 in March, 8,252 tonnes in February and 3,140 tonnes in January.
At the same time, in January-May 2019, the country increased imports of scrap metal in kind by 38.4% compared to January-May 2018, to 28,710 tonnes. Imports in monetary terms decreased 10.9%, to $14.792 million.
Imports of scrap metal in January-May 2019 arrived mainly from Russia (49.09% of deliveries in monetary terms), Turkey (43.71%), and South Korea (3.13%); and major exports were shipped to Turkey (88.76%), the Netherlands (6.26%) and Germany (3.42%).
Ukrainian metal companies in January-May 2018 and January-May 2019 did not import ferrous products obtained by direct reduction of iron ore (HS code 7203) – hot briquetted iron (HBI), which is a substitute for pig iron and scrap metal.
As reported, Ukrainian enterprises in 2018 decreased exports of ferrous scrap metal by 33% compared to 2017, to 327,547 tonnes. Exports of scrap metal in monetary terms fell by 13.3%, to $105.646 million.
The Kyivstar mobile communications operator jointly with Alfa Insurance (Kyiv) has launched the online travel insurance service for prepaid and contract subscribers.
The cost of an insurance policy for a seven-day trip will be about UAH 300 (the total cost of the policy depends, among other things, on the exchange rate). At the same time, it is valid in all countries, covering all medical services in case of the need to provide emergency assistance abroad.
The amount for which the subscriber is insured is EUR 30,000. At the same time, prepaid subscribers will receive a bonus of UAH 100 to the account, contract subscribers – an additional 20 minutes in roaming. Bonuses are valid 30 days after the start of the insurance period and only in roaming.
The cost of the policy for 14 days will be about UAH 600, for 21 days – about UAH 950.
The subscriber can receive and pay for the policy online without visiting the company’s office.
Roaming from Kyivstar is available in 195 countries.
One troy ounce=31.10 grams
The international reserves of Ukraine in May 2019, according to preliminary data, decreased by 5.5%, to $19.402 billion due to significant repayments of government debt, according to the NBU’s website.
According to the report, last month the equivalent of $1.801 billion was allocated for servicing and repaying state and state-guaranteed debt in foreign currency. In particular, $1.281 billion were payments for servicing and redeeming eurobonds and government domestic loan bonds. Some $446.5 million was paid on the obligations of the government and the NBU to the International Monetary Fund.
These expenses were partially offset by foreign exchange earnings of $426.7 million from placing government domestic loan bonds and $10 million in financing from the World Bank. The amount of international reserves was also positively influenced by the increase in the value of financial instruments (change in market value, hryvnia exchange rate to foreign currencies) for a total of $80.7 million.
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) organizes a syndicated loan of EUR116 million for the manufacturer of sheet materials based on wood Kronospan UA (Novovolynsk, Volyn region), which is part of Kronospan Group, for the construction of a new plant, according to a bank press release.
“The EBRD will be the lender of the record for the amount of EUR116 million, while EUR50 million out of the total will be syndicated to commercial banks Raiffeisen Bank International AG and Raiffeisenlandesbank Oberösterreich under an A/B loan structure,” the report says.
“The funds will finance investments in new production facilities in compliance with relevant EU standards and regulations. The company plans to expand its production in Ukraine with the construction of a new facility in Novovolynsk, western Ukraine,” it reads.
“Specialized energy efficient equipment, including a 45 MW biomass boiler energy plant, a new transformer unit and a new precipitator filter will provide an alternative power supply solution, cut energy losses and help reduce dust emissions. High value-added products manufactured at these facilities are expected to lead to oriented strand board (OSB) imports substitution and more exports from Ukraine to the EU single market and other countries,” according to the document.
Kronospan was created in Austria in 1897. Currently it is the leading European manufacturer of wood-based sheet materials, operating in 21 countries. Total sales exceed EUR2.7 billion per year.
