In 2025, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Ukraine (CCI) expects an increase in export volumes, primarily in industries where Ukraine already has sustainable competitive advantages. This was stated by CCIU
President Gennady Chizhikov in an exclusive interview with the Interfax-Ukraine news agency.
“We see growth potential in agro-processing, food industry, IT, machine building, pharmaceuticals, and woodworking. These industries have shown resilience even in wartime,” Chizhikov said.
According to him, products with high added value will remain the key driver. He stressed that the chamber’s task is to help businesses integrate into European value chains.
The leader of the Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU), Friedrich Merz, was defeated in the first round of voting, receiving 310 votes instead of the required 316. A repeat vote will take place within 14 days, tagesschau.de reported on Tuesday.
“CDU leader Friedrich Merz lost the first round of voting in the Bundestag chancellor election. In a secret ballot, he received 310 votes in favor, six less than the required majority of 316 votes. The CDU/CSU and SPD coalition parties together have 328 seats in parliament,” the report said.
According to the publication, this is an ‘unprecedented event’ in the history of the Federal Republic of Germany. Never before has a designated chancellor been elected by the Bundestag after federal elections and successful coalition negotiations.
It is noted that the German Constitution regulates such a case. Article 63, which contains the rules for electing the chancellor, states: “If no candidate is elected, the Bundestag may elect the federal chancellor by a majority of its members within 14 days after the vote.”
A second vote may be held within two weeks, possibly with a different candidate. If the chancellor still does not receive a majority of votes, a third vote may be held by a majority of the members present.
Large-scale investment projects in the chemical industry are planned in the Khorezm region of Uzbekistan, which are expected to transform this industry into one of the key drivers of economic growth in the region. This was announced by the press secretary of the President of Uzbekistan during a meeting in the Urgench district.
This year, the first phase of the construction of a $10 billion gas chemical complex will begin in the Tuprakkalinsky district, which will use MTO (methanol-olefin) technology. Upon completion of the project, the complex will annually produce 14 types of basic polymer products with high added value and a total capacity of up to 2 million tons.
The project was first announced in March last year during the Head of State’s visit to the region. At that time, Shavkat Mirziyoyev held a working meeting with the leadership of the Ministry of Energy, Uzkimyosanoat, and a large foreign investment company, whose name was not disclosed.
It was expected that the future production facilities would be able to produce up to 2.5 million tons of products per year and create about 3,000 jobs. The project is scheduled for implementation in 2024–2028.
In addition, a 10-hectare chemical technology park will be created in the Khazarasp district, where projects worth $100 million will be implemented for the production of polymer products.
Special attention was paid to the region’s construction industry. Last year, 663 enterprises in Khorezm produced building materials worth about $86.6 million. To further develop this segment, 40 new projects with a total value of $100 million are planned for implementation in 2025, which will increase production to about $118.1 million.
The Kametstal plant, part of the Metinvest mining and metallurgical group (Kamensk, Dnipropetrovsk region), has begun work on upgrading its main steelmaking equipment at one of its key facilities, converter No. 1, as part of this year’s capital repair program.
According to a press release on Monday, this year the company’s primary focus is on upgrading its power equipment, primarily the converter’s gas extraction system, where a significant portion of the equipment will be replaced with new equipment, including bellows and auxiliary caissons. The stator and rotor of the electric motor of the smoke gas blower of the gas extraction system will also be replaced.
Repairs to the converter housing have already been completed. One of the important stages of the overhaul is the complete replacement of the converter’s refractory lining. The old refractories have already been dismantled.
According to Andriy Zuev, Deputy Head of Engineering at Kametstal’s converter shop, the comprehensive tasks of all converter shop departments, as well as the Central Repair and Maintenance Department and the Central Repair Department, include not only the renovation of key equipment of the first converter, but also a thorough overhaul and repair of all infrastructure facilities of the unit: oxygen supply machines, vertical feeders for bulk materials, circulation pump units, special rolling stock – slag cars, steel cars, etc.
“Each of these facilities is undergoing mechanical, energy, and electrical repairs, which will ensure the reliable and efficient operation of converter No. 1 after the completion of the overhaul,” he said.
Kametstal is part of the Metinvest Group.
First Ukrainian International Bank (FUIB, Kyiv) received UAH 1.55 billion in net profit in January-March 2025, which is 27.2%, or UAH 0.58 billion, less than in the first quarter of 2024.
According to the bank’s financial statements, pre-tax profit in the first quarter of 2025 amounted to UAH 2.07 billion, which is 27.2%, or UAH 0.77 billion, less than in the corresponding period of 2024.
PUMB’s net interest income for the reporting period increased by 11.5%, or UAH 0.41 billion, to UAH 3.96 billion, net commission income increased by 2.9% to UAH 0.53 billion, while net income from foreign exchange operations decreased by 8.2% to UAH 0.20 billion.
At the same time, impairment losses in the first quarter of this year amounted to UAH 0.26 billion, compared with a profit of UAH 0.36 billion in the same period last year, while the bank’s operating expenses increased by 30.2% to UAH 2.4 billion.
Among other things, it is noted that in addition to software maintenance costs, which are included in operating expenses, in the first three months of 2025, the bank was provided with software development and support services by a related party in the amount of UAH 381 million, which were recognized as intangible assets, compared to UAH 190 million in the first three months of 2024.
PUBM’s total assets since the beginning of the year decreased by 3.3%, or UAH 6.16 billion, to UAH 180.43 billion, while total liabilities decreased by 4.5%, or UAH 7.36 billion, to UAH 157.0 billion.
At the same time, the bank’s equity increased by 5.1%, or UAH 1.2 billion, to UAH 23.4 billion, of which undistributed profit reached UAH 13.09 billion.
It is noted that on April 30, the shareholders’ meeting decided to allocate UAH 197.12 million of the UAH 3.94 billion net profit for 2024 to the reserve fund and leave the rest undistributed.
According to the National Bank of Ukraine, at the beginning of 2025, PUMB ranked sixth (UAH 186.5 billion) among 61 banks operating in the country in terms of total assets.
State-owned PrivatBank (Kyiv) received UAH 16.9 billion in net profit in January-March 2025, which is 21.9%, or UAH 3.0 billion, more than a year ago, when net profit amounted to UAH 13.9 billion.
The bank’s pre-tax profit amounted to UAH 22.3 billion, which is 19.1%, or UAH 3.5 billion, more than in the first quarter of 2024.
According to the report, PrivatBank’s net interest income increased by 16.4% compared to the first quarter of 2024, to UAH 18.49 billion, while net commission income increased by 4.9%, to UAH 6.64 billion.
Net income from foreign currency transactions for the reporting period increased by 11.8% to UAH 1.46 billion. In addition, the revaluation of foreign currency brought in another UAH 0.40 billion, while in the first quarter of 2024, the result was negative at UAH 0.90 billion.
At the same time, employee compensation expenses increased by 29.6% to UAH 3.64 billion, while other operating and administrative expenses increased by 11.1% to UAH 2.65 billion.
Funds in accounts of individuals in the first quarter of 2025 increased by 1.6%, or UAH 7.3 billion, to UAH 612.8 billion, while the number of individual customers decreased from 18.32 million to 18.2 million.
It is noted that PrivatBank’s net loan portfolio for January-March grew by UAH 5 billion to UAH 117.8 billion, and the number of the bank’s business clients increased from 910,000 to 918,000.
The bank reported that in the first quarter it carried out a large-scale upgrade of Privat24, including expanding accessibility for all categories of customers. As a result, the number of users grew from 13.76 million to 13.9 million.
At the same time, PrivatBank’s total assets for the first quarter of 2025 decreased by 1.1%, or UAH 8.6 billion, to UAH 752.8 billion compared to the previous quarter.
In addition, during the quarter, the number of PrivatBank branches decreased by three to 1,160, ATMs by 11 to 6,847, while terminals and POS terminals increased by 19 and more than 10 thousand to 10,439 thousand and 326.12 thousand, respectively.
According to the National Bank of Ukraine, PrivatBank ranked first in terms of total assets (UAH 947.13 billion, or 25.3%) among 61 banks at the beginning of this year.
