Gold prices are declining on Thursday amid the strengthening of the dollar before the publication of statistical data on the U.S. labor market. By 14:02 Q2 quotations of December gold futures on the Comex exchange fell by about 0.5% to $4061.5 per ounce.
The U.S. Department of Labor will release a report on the U.S. labor market for September at 15:30 Q2. The report is expected to show job growth of 50,000 and unemployment remaining at 4.3%, Trading Economics noted. It is published late due to the shutdown.
ICE’s DXY index, which shows the dollar’s performance against six currencies (euro, Swiss franc, yen, Canadian dollar, pound sterling and Swedish krona), added about 0.1%.
Meanwhile, analysts at UBS upgraded their forecast for gold to $4500 an ounce from $4200 an ounce by mid-2026. They believe that gold will be supported by the Federal Reserve’s easing monetary policy, as well as geopolitical uncertainty, increasing demand for protective assets.
Earlier, the Experts Club think tank presented an analysis of the world’s leading gold-producing countries in its video on Youtube channel – https://youtube.com/shorts/DWbzJ1e2tJc?si=YuRnDiu7jtfUPBR9.
On Thursday, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce said that Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s remarks on Taiwan had a negative impact on Sino-Japanese economic relations.
“Prime Minister Takaichi’s erroneous remarks on Taiwan, made in public, have fundamentally undermined the foundation of China-Japan relations and seriously damaged bilateral economic and trade ties,” Western media quoted ministry spokesman He Yongqian as saying.
“If the Japanese side continues to take such actions and continues to move in the wrong direction, China will resolutely take the necessary measures, and all the consequences will fall on Japan,” she promised.
The media reminds us that China is the second most important market for Japan. In 2024, according to the UN, China purchased $125 billion worth of Japanese goods, mainly industrial equipment, semiconductors, and automobiles.
In November, Takaichi said that an emergency situation around Taiwan involving the use of force could escalate into a “situation that threatens Japan’s survival”; the Kyodo news agency explained that in such a case, Tokyo could resort to its right to collective self-defense.
However, the Chinese authorities consider the Taiwan issue to be an internal matter for China and called on Takai to retract his statements. As a result, Beijing urged its citizens to avoid traveling to Japan and recommended that those wishing to study in that country reconsider their decision in light of the security situation. The Kyodo news agency also reported, citing a source, that China had informed Japan of the suspension of imports of Japanese seafood
. On Thursday, US Ambassador to Japan George Glass condemned these measures by the PRC and called them “economic coercion.” After meeting with Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi, he assured that the US is committed to ensuring Japan’s defense, including the Diaoyu Islands (Japanese name: Senkaku) in the East China Sea, which are controlled by Tokyo. The islands are the subject of a territorial dispute between Japan and China.
According to Kyodo, 64-year-old Takaichi is known for her “hardline views on security.” In particular, she advocates revising Article 9 of the 1947 Japanese Constitution, which renounces militarism. She is also considered a supporter of ultra-right and nationalist views.
The Taiwan issue arose in 1949 when the People’s Republic of China was proclaimed and part of the Chinese Kuomintang party settled on the island of Taiwan, naming it the Republic of China on Taiwan. Beijing insists on the “one China principle,” according to which it is impossible to recognize both the PRC and the Republic of China on Taiwan at the same time. At the same time, some states have unofficial cultural and economic offices of Taipei.
PrivatBank, which launched the purchase and sale of domestic government bonds (OVDP) in the Privat24 web app a year ago, has expanded this service to its mobile app.
“The new functionality allows you not only to invest, but also to fully control your portfolio: view securities balances, transaction history, coupon receipts, and redemption payments,” the bank said in a statement on its Telegram channel on Thursday.
According to the message, a new investment section called “Bonds” has been opened, where customers can buy and sell government bonds and manage their securities.
PrivatBank reminded that you can invest in government bonds in Privat24 starting from UAH 1,000. According to the message, the section offers a wide selection of bonds in hryvnia, dollars, and euros without tax fees and without additional purchase commissions. To get started, simply select the desired OVDP issue, fill in the details, and sign the documents via SmartID. Purchase and sale applications are accepted 24/7.
According to the bank, its customers are actively investing in OVDPs: since the beginning of 2025 alone, they have invested over UAH 21 billion in government securities. The most popular remain six-month and one-year hryvnia bonds, as well as US dollar-denominated securities. Most clients who receive redemption payments immediately reinvest them in new issues of the Ministry of Finance, the report says.
As reported, PrivatBank topped the Ministry of Finance’s rating of primary dealers in the OVDP market in 2024. As of early September 2025, it owned OVDPs worth UAH 344.51 billion, or 39% of the total bank OVDP portfolio.
According to the Settlement Center for Servicing Contracts on Financial Markets (RC, Kyiv), last year the number of registered investors in Ukraine increased from 166,120 to 197,790, and as of November 1, it reached 216,680.
As of October 2025, PrivatBank’s active customer base consisted of 18.1 million individuals, which is 220,000 fewer than at the end of 2024, and the number of users of the Privat24 mobile app decreased by 150,000 to 13.61 million people. On the other hand, the number of business clients increased by 20,000 during this period, to 930,000.
The Agro-Region agricultural holding has created a mobile application for working with land lease agreements, according to a Facebook post by the holding’s press service.
The land department of Agro-Region noted that daily work with a large number of contracts required a solution that would reduce the time spent searching for and processing them.
“We had to ensure quick access to contracts in the field and synchronization with the ERP system. This became a key task during development. The application was created by the company’s internal specialists. During the work, we used artificial intelligence tools, in particular JetBrains AI Assistant. AI accelerated some of the processes, but the architectural solutions and logic were formed in accordance with business requirements. This allowed us to obtain a simple and reliable tool,” explained Vadym Yanchuk, CIO of the Agro-Region group of companies, whose words are quoted in the report.
The application allows you to work offline, conduct contract inventory, transfer and accept contracts between employees, automatically generate transfer acts in ERP, scan QR codes on contracts for instant access, search for contracts by name, cadastral number, or other parameters, according to the release.
“The application has become part of the digital transformation of the land department. Its implementation has reduced operational time costs, increased the accuracy of contract processing, and optimized interaction between departments,” the agricultural holding noted.
Agro-Region agricultural holding owns a land bank of 39,000 hectares in the Kyiv, Chernihiv, Zhytomyr, and Khmelnytskyi regions. It specializes in crop production. It consists of 11 companies, which are united into four crop clusters. It has two elevators: Boryspil with a capacity of 73,000 tons and Myropil with a capacity of 52,000 tons.
Agro-Region’s annual harvest of grain and oilseeds is 200,000 tons.
In April 2021, the Swedish company Lobiu Sala AB, owned by former Ukrainian Economy Minister Aivaras Abromavičius, received permission from the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine to purchase the Swedish company Agro Region Stockholm Holding, which manages the Agro-Region group of companies in Ukraine.
A talent visa is a special residence and work permit designed to attract foreign professionals with exceptional skills or achievements. It is used by countries to strengthen their scientific, cultural, technological, sporting, or business sectors. In the context of growing competition for talent and capital, such programs are becoming part of economic and innovation promotion strategies, helping countries become “talent magnets.”
Professionals in science, technology, business, education, or sports, entrepreneurs and start-ups, investors with a plan to create jobs, as well as creative professionals — artists, musicians, actors, designers, and fashion designers — can apply for a talent visa. Often, graduates of prestigious universities, students with outstanding academic achievements, and public figures fall into the “talent” category. Higher education is not always required: it is more important to have evidence of achievements — publications, participation in conferences, mentions in the media, and letters of recommendation.
In different countries, the visa program for talents has its own name and different requirements. In the US, it is called O-1A or O-1B and is intended for people recognized in the arts, sciences, sports, business, or cinema. The visa is issued for three years with the possibility of extension, and approval is given by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services.
France has a Passeport Talent program that covers investors, professionals, artists, scientists, and athletes. Recently, the income requirements have been reduced to €39,500 per year. Those who have obtained a visa can live and work in France with their families for up to four years, with the possibility of extension.
The UK offers a Global Talent Visa, which allows you to live for up to five years, bring family members, and does not require a high level of English. Confirmation of merit by a relevant British organization is required. Germany has a pan-European program called the Blue Card, which is designed for highly skilled professionals from countries outside the European Union with a university degree or at least three years of work experience and an invitation from a German employer.
Canada uses the Global Talent Stream program, which is aimed at specialists in critical technology sectors. Candidates must have a job offer from a Canadian company and confirm their qualifications. In Australia, a similar program is called the National Innovation Visa. It is aimed at attracting foreigners with outstanding abilities, but the visa application process is long and expensive.
In New Zealand, the talent visa is intended for representatives of the arts, culture, and sports. It is valid for up to 30 months, after which you can apply for a residence permit. In Thailand, the talent visa is part of the Smart Visa program, designed for professionals in science and technology. A minimum one-year contract with an income of at least 100,000 baht per month is required.
The United Arab Emirates has a Golden Visa program that provides professionals, artists, medical professionals, and investors with a five- or ten-year residence permit. Hong Kong has a Top Talent Pass Scheme program designed for wealthy professionals or graduates of prestigious universities. In China, high-level specialists can obtain an R visa for up to ten years. Malaysia has a Residence Pass Talent program for skilled workers with at least five years of experience.
In September 2025, South Korea launched a new K-Star program for leading global experts in science and technology. It provides a fast track to permanent residence and will be fully operational in 2026.
Serbia also has a simplified talent visa option. To obtain it, you only need to confirm your diploma, pay a fee of about €95, and wait up to 90 days. The visa is issued for one year with the possibility of extension and subsequent transition to permanent residence. Language skills are not required.
Experts note that such programs have become a strategic tool for attracting knowledge and capital. Each of them is part of the formula “talent – innovation – economic growth.” Despite similar goals, the requirements vary significantly: in some cases, the process is strict and multi-stage, while in others, it is a fairly simple procedure for confirming competencies. The successful implementation of such programs strengthens the country’s reputation as a center of attraction for talent and investment.
However, it is important to remember the risks. Without transparent selection and integration mechanisms, such visas can become a burden on social and migration systems rather than a driver of development. For Ukraine, such initiatives open up opportunities for professional growth and entry into global markets, and for host countries, they are a way to strengthen their innovative potential.
Overall, Experts Club experts believe that the future of the global economy largely depends on how effectively countries can compete for human capital. Talent visa programs are becoming one of the main tools in this new “battle for minds.”
Pharmacy sales in Ukraine in January-September 2025 grew by 13.14% in monetary terms compared to the same period in 2024, reaching almost UAH 159.728 billion, while in real terms they decreased by 2% to 845.012 million packages, according to data from a study conducted by Business Credit and reported to Interfax-Ukraine.
According to the data, the weighted average price of goods in the pharmacy basket for January-September was UAH 189.02 per package, which is 15.51% more than in the same period last year.
At the same time, pharmacy sales of medicines in January-September 2025 increased in monetary terms by 11.76% to almost UAH 123.677 billion, while in real terms they decreased by 0.88% to almost UAH 597.193 million.
The weighted average retail price of medicines for the nine months was UAH 207.1 per package, which is almost 12.75% more than a year ago.
Pharmacy sales of dietary supplements in January-September increased by 27.9% in monetary terms compared to the same period in 2024, to almost UAH 18.385 billion, and in real terms increased by 1.06% to 72.858 million packages. The weighted average price in this segment increased by 26.56% to UAH 252.34 per unit.
As reported, pharmacy sales in Ukraine in the first half of 2025 increased by 11% in monetary terms compared to the same period in 2024, to UAH 105.214 billion, while in real terms they decreased by 2.78% to 567.02 million packages. The weighted average price of goods in the pharmacy basket at the end of the first half of the year was UAH 185.56 per package, which is 14.17% more than in the same period last year.
At the same time, pharmacy sales of medicines in January-June 2025 increased in monetary terms by 10.33% to almost UAH 81.929 billion, while in real terms they decreased by 2.32% to almost UAH 399.292 million. The weighted average retail price of medicines at the end of the first half of the year was UAH 205.19 per package, which is almost 13% more than a year ago.
Pharmacy sales of dietary supplements in January-June increased by 17.67% in monetary terms compared to the same period in 2024, to almost UAH 11.679 billion, and decreased by 1.5% in real terms, to 49.479 million packages. The weighted average price in this segment increased by 19.5% to UAH 236.03 per unit.
