Oil prices continue to rise on Tuesday morning as traders assess the situation in the Middle East.
The cost of July futures for Brent on the London ICE Futures exchange as of 8:04 a.m. is $83.48 per barrel, which is $0.15 (0.18%) higher than at the close of the previous trading. On Monday, these contracts rose by $0.37 (0.5%) to $83.33 per barrel.
June futures for WTI in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) have risen in price by this time by $0.14 (0.18%) to $78.62 per barrel. As a result of the previous trading, the value of these contracts increased for the first time in six sessions – by $0.37 (0.5%) to $78.48 per barrel.
Israel is not abandoning its plans to conduct an operation in Rafah, intending to put pressure on the Hamas movement in this way, The Times of Israel reports, citing a statement by the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“The Israeli military cabinet unanimously voted to continue preparations for an operation in Rafah in order to put military pressure on Hamas to make progress in releasing hostages and achieving the war’s goals,” the newspaper quoted the statement of the office as saying.
According to it, Hamas’s recent response to peace initiatives does not satisfy Israel. Netanyahu had earlier said that Hamas had put forward unacceptable demands, including a permanent ceasefire.
In addition, Saudi Aramco announced last weekend that it will raise oil prices for Asian buyers in June. The cost of the main grade supplied to Asia, Arab Light, will increase by $0.9 per barrel. As a result, it will cost $2.9 more than the basket of Omani and Dubai crude, Saudi Aramco said in a statement.
The price increase may indicate that Saudi Arabia is “not that worried about weak oil demand,” MartketWatch quotes Phil Flynn, senior market analyst at The Price Futures Group, as saying.
In April, Ukraine increased its total foreign trade in dairy products by 10.7% compared to March to $41.4 million and by 20% compared to February, the press service of the Union of Dairy Enterprises of Ukraine (UDEP) reported.
According to the report, exports of dairy products were 17.8% higher compared to March, amounting to $17.1 million, and 11% higher compared to February, up to $15.4 million.
At the same time, import volumes increased by 6.2% compared to March and amounted to $24.3 million, which is 27.4% higher than in February, when it was recorded at $19.1 million.
Experts pointed out that imports in April were 1.43 times higher than exports. In March, this figure was 1.58 times higher than in February, in February – 1.24 times higher than in January, in January – 1.93 times higher than in December.
“In April 2024, the situation with exports of dairy products improved – they were exported for $ 17.1 million – the last time such volumes were recorded in June 2023. However, import volumes continued to grow – up to $ 24.3 million, which corresponds to the level of January-2024 (imports have been growing for the 2nd month in a row),” the UMPU stated.
The working group under the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Finance, Tax and Customs Policy considered the bill on increasing excise duties on tobacco, which is preparing for consideration by Parliament in the second reading, said the head of the parliamentary committee Daniil Getmantsev.
“The bill is unambiguously timely and will be supported by the Verkhovna Rada. At the same time there are issues that should be considered in the second reading. Realized by the deputies in the hall. Among them the schedule for increasing excise tax rates, their size on certain items and increase in ad valorem rate,” – he wrote in Telegram on Monday.
In addition, according to Getmantsev, there are several other technical issues to the text of the bill to increase excise taxes on tobacco products. The deputies intend to find consensus on them at the level of the parliamentary committee.
Getmantsev also said that the bill adopted in 2020 on the introduction of excise tax on tobacco-containing products for electric heating (TIEN) helped the state to get to date 22.5 billion UAH.
“A good result”, – summarized the head of the Finance Committee.
As reported, the European Business Association strongly opposes the amendments to the Tax Code of Ukraine on revision of excise tax rates on tobacco products (draft law No. 11090), which is being considered in connection with the requirements of the EU Council Directive on the structure and rates of excise taxes applicable to tobacco products.
The revision of excise tax rates on tobacco products already from July 1, 2024 is not in line with the principle of stability of tax legislation, the EBA argued.
The experts drew attention to the fact that the excise tax rates on tobacco products are scheduled to increase by 20% annually for 2024-2027. However, the draft law No. 11090 proposes to increase these rates unevenly. For example, it is proposed to increase the excise tax rate on cigarettes in 2025 by almost 23.5%, and in 2026 and 2027 – by about 5% annually. According to business representatives, such an approach would have a shock effect on the market in 2025.
Meanwhile, member companies support a differentiated schedule of excise tax rate increases for cigarettes and tobacco products for electronic heating with an electronically controlled heater over 2024-2027.
The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has agreed with the proposal of the Ministry of Energy to establish a state-owned enterprise (SOE) Marine Oil Terminal Pivdenny and to include it under the management of the said ministry. This is stated in the Cabinet’s order No. 381-r dated April 30, 2024, “On approval of the creation of SOE Marine Oil Terminal Pivdenny,” published on the government portal.
“The Ministry of Energy, together with NJSC Naftogaz Ukrainy, shall take measures to transfer the objects of the oil distribution and gas distribution system of the marine oil terminal Pivdenny, which are state property and are in the possession of NJSC Ukrtransnafta, to SOE Marine Oil Terminal Pivdenny,” the document says.
A total of 100% of the shares of Ukrtransnafta belong to NJSC Naftogaz Ukrainy.
The first semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 will be broadcast live on May 7 at 22.00 on Suspilne Kultura TV channel. It can be viewed on the film and television platform Kyivstar TV at no additional cost, regardless of the mobile operator or Internet provider.
As early as Tuesday, Ukrainians will be able to cheer for the duo alyona alyona & Jerry Heil in the semifinals of Eurovision 2024. Ever since the National Selection, the song Teresa & Maria has been topping the main music charts in Ukraine. The performance was directed by Tanya Muinho, who shoots music videos for the world’s biggest stars.
It is on May 7 that we will find out whether the Ukrainian singers will make it to the Eurovision final.
The event will be broadcast live on Suspilne Kultura TV channel. Kyivstar TV provides free access for authorized users. To log in, you just need to enter your phone number in the appropriate field. After the broadcast, viewers can also watch the event in the recording on the platform.
By the way, you can watch content on Kyivstar TV from one account on 5 devices simultaneously: smartphone, TV, tablet, laptop and set-top box.
Voting will take place on several platforms:
● in the Eurovision Song Contest mobile application, which is available for Android, iOS or Windows. Viewers from countries not participating in the semi-finals will be able to vote in the app;
● participating countries can cast their votes by phone and/or SMS using the numbers that will be announced during the broadcast;
● non-participating countries can vote on the esc.vote website.
This year, the main European song contest will be held in Malmö, Sweden. In addition to Ukraine, Cyprus, Serbia, Lithuania, Ireland, Poland, Croatia, Iceland, Slovenia, Finland, Moldova, Azerbaijan, Australia, Portugal, and Luxembourg will also perform in the first semifinal.
For more news about the addition of Ukrainian and world movies, TV series and shows to Kyivstar TV’s video library, follow the “Movies for TV” Telegram channel.
Kyivstar TV is a joint project of 1+1 media and Kyivstar, founded on December 11, 2019. It is a film and television platform that provides users with access to hundreds of thousands of hours of domestic and foreign content, live programs, and regularly offers exclusive pre-premiere screenings of projects. The platform currently has more than 400 TV channels and a VOD library of 20 thousand movies, series, cartoons, and shows. For more information: tv.kyivstar.ua
The government has appointed Stanislav Banchuk as acting director of the state enterprise of alcohol and liquor industry “Ukrspirt”, according to the official website of the government.
“To agree with the proposal of the State Property Fund on the appointment of Stanislav Yaroslavovich Banchuk as acting Director of the state enterprise of alcohol and distillery industry “Ukrspirt”, – noted in the order of the Cabinet of Ministers № 386 from April 30.
On the website of the FGI and Facebook-page “Ukrspirt” so far there is no additional information about the new head. According to information on the Internet, a person with the same surname and initials was the deputy regional prosecutor of Chernivtsi region until 2014, after which he ran an individual law practice in Kyiv region.
According to Youcontrol, Banchuk S.Y. is the founder of a number of companies, in particular, Law Company Standard LLC, Gaztehkom LLC, Newest Energy Systems LLC, Trading House P.E.G.O., VOGA Resources LLC and SpetsOil LLC, which specialize in oil and gas trading.
