The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has retained its forecast for Ukraine’s GDP growth in 2018 at 3.2%, while it reviewed downwards the forecast for 2019 to 3.3% from 4%, according to the World Economic Outlook. The Parliament has ratified a guarantee agreement between Ukraine and the World Bank for a loan of $150 million. The World Bank has kept the forecast for Ukraine’s GDP growth in 2018 at 3.5%, Lead Economist and Program Leader covering Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine Faruk Khan said.
Ukraine’s GDP growth in 2018 is expected at 3.2% with inflation (December on December) of 9.7%, and next year it would slightly slow to 3.1% and accelerate in 2020 to 3.3%, according to the updated consensus forecast published by the Economic Development and Trade Ministry.
The deficit of Ukraine’s foreign trade in goods in February 2018 amounted to $457 million, while in January 2018 it was $284.1 million, the State Statistics Service has said.
Inflation in Ukraine in 2018 could again be larger than the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) expected along with the expected increase in expenses on salaries, World Bank Economist for Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova Anastasia Golovach said in Kyiv.
Prices in the industry of Ukraine in March 2018 increased by 0.3%, while in February their growth was 1.2%, in January 4.4%, the State Statistics Service has reported.
The growth of consumer prices in Ukraine in March 2018 was 1.1% compared to 0.9% in February and 1.5% in January, the State Statistics Service of Ukraine reported.
The revenues of the national budget of Ukraine for the three months of 2018 amounted to UAH 193.567 billion, which is UAH 6.185 billion or 3.1% less than the target, the State Treasury Service of Ukraine reported on its website.
The growth of real GDP of Ukraine in the first quarter of 2018 in annual terms (quarter-over-quarter) was 2.3%, according to the assessments of the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU).
Industrial production in Ukraine in March 2018 grew by 1% compared to March 2017, while in February this figure was 1.9%, in January 3.6%, the State Statistics Service has said.
The volume of sold industrial products (goods, services) in January and February 2018 stood at UAH 402.975 billion, which is 16.3% more than in January and February 2017, in particular the volume sold abroad was worth UAH 108.704 billion (a decrease of 26.48%), the State Statistics Service has reported.
Ukraine’s retail trade turnover grew by 7.6% in comparable prices in January-March 2018 (Q1) year-over-year, the State Statistics Service said.
Consumer confidence index in Ukraine is growing for the fifth consecutive quarter: in Q4 2017 it reached 61 points, which is 3 points more than in Q3 2017 and 9 points more than in Q4 2016, according to the Nielsen global consumer confidence report.
