Japan’s economy contracted 0.5% in the first quarter relative to the previous three months, according to preliminary government data. Analysts, whose average estimates are quoted by Trading Economics, had expected a 0.4% decline in GDP.
According to the revised data, the economy was unchanged in the fourth quarter of 2023, while previously reported growth of 0.1%.
On an annualized basis, Japanese GDP contracted 2% last quarter after a revised zero change a quarter earlier. The consensus forecast called for a 1.5% drop in January-March.
Consumer spending in the first quarter decreased by 0.7% relative to the previous three months, business investment – by 0.8%. Government spending rose by 0.2%.
Exports decreased by 5% after growth of 2.8% quarter earlier, imports – by 3.4% (+1.8% in October-December).
Earlier Experts Club analytical center and Maxim Urakin released a video analysis of how the GDP of the world’s countries has changed in recent years, more detailed video analysis is available here – https://youtu.be/w5fF_GYyrIc?si=BsZmIUERHSBJrO_3.
Subscribe to Experts Club YouTube channel here – https://www.youtube.com/@ExpertsClub
Ukrainian enterprises in January-April this year increased imports of copper and copper products in value terms by 41.4% compared to the same period last year – up to $53.034 million. According to customs statistics released by the State Customs Service of Ukraine on Friday, exports of copper and copper products for the period decreased by 8.1% – to $25.077 million.
In April, imported copper for $11.015 million, exported – for $6.949 million.
As reported, Ukraine in 2023 increased imports of copper and copper products in 2.2 times compared to 2022 – up to $140.795 million, exports decreased by 20.1% – to $72.078 million.
Ukrainian enterprises in 2022 reduced imports of copper and copper products in value terms by 64.3% year-on-year to $65.370 million, while their exports decreased by 56.3% to $90.245 million.
“Ukrzaliznytsia” plans pilot projects of inclusiveness of railway stations, starting with reconstruction of historical buildings in Kiev and Lviv, said the head of the project “Bezbar’ierna zaliznytsia” of JSC “Ukrzaliznytsia” Yarema Dul during the National Tourism Summit on Friday in Lviv.
“It is planned reconstruction of these stations, taking into account that these buildings are monuments of cultural heritage, raising the aprons, arrangement of elevators to them. Now the project documentation is being developed,” he told the agency “Interfax-Ukraine”.
According to the head of the project, these stations were chosen as pilot stations because they are leading in terms of passenger traffic served.
“The task is for the passenger to get into his carriage barrier-free. Today we have, for example, in Kiev, only the first platform is high,” he said.
At the same time, Yarema Dul added that part of the platform should remain low, so that it was possible to accept trains with low entrance.
On Sunday, May 19, in Ukraine in the western, northern, in the afternoon and in the central regions in some places small short-term rains, thunderstorms; in the rest of the territory without precipitation, reports Ukrhydrometcenter. The wind is predominantly southeastern, 7-12 m/s.
The temperature at night is 9-14°, during the day 21-26°.
In Kiev on May 19, there will be light short-term rain and thunderstorms in some places. The wind is predominantly southeast, 7-12 m/s.
The temperature at night is 11-13°, during the day 23-25°.
Blumi LLC (Odesa), a manufacturer of sanitary and hygienic paper products under the Snow Panda brand, produced products worth UAH 149.6 million in January-April, up 38.5% compared to the same period in 2023. According to statistics provided by Ukrpapir Association to Interfax-Ukraine, in physical terms, in particular, the production of toilet paper increased by 31.5% to 18.3 million rolls.
As reported, in just four months, the major manufacturers of sanitary paper products produced 210.6 million rolls of paper, up 10% year-on-year.
Bloomi, which was registered in 2014, produces pulp-based sanitary products (toilet paper, napkins, towels) from imported raw paper. The products are manufactured at the facilities of Omega Brokers PE, one of the leading Ukrainian manufacturers of detergents, disinfectants and sanitary products.
In 2023, the company almost doubled its production volume by 2022 to UAH 367.3 million.
The company is co-owned equally (25% each) by four Odesa-based entrepreneurs.
Mobile numbers with the destination network code “77”, which have been authorized by Kyivstar, the largest mobile operator, will go on sale in late June or July, the company’s president Oleksandr Komarov said.
“I think they will definitely appear in late June or July,” he said in an exclusive interview with Interfax-Ukraine.
According to him, when applying for a new destination network, the company was far from the critical phase in the NCCC. “Kyivstar operates five network codes: “67”, “68”, “96”, “97” і “98”.
“I remember the figure well when we migrated to the new billing system – we were transferring up to 40 million numbers (as of December 2023, Kyivstar served about 24 million mobile subscribers – IF-U). Why is this figure so high? It is because we have not disconnected the numbers that have gone silent for some time,” Komarov said.
The Kyivstar president also spoke about the all-Ukrainian initiative not to disconnect people who stayed in the occupied territories. It is planned to be implemented at the level of a regulatory decision.
“The National Commission is currently discussing a draft decision with us, the electronic communications market operators. Most likely, this decision will set a certain timeframe, for example, 3-4 years. “Kyivstar has been following this rule since the beginning of the full-scale invasion on its own initiative,” Komarov said.
