Business news from Ukraine

Business news from Ukraine

American film critics have named  top contenders for 2026 Oscars

According to the Interfax-Ukraine Culture project, American film critics and industry media outlets are naming the drama “Train Dreams” as one of the top favorites for the “2026 Oscars” in the “Best Picture” category. This is reported by a number of American publications, including Entertainment Weekly, which are analyzing the nominees and potential winners of this year’s awards season.

“Train Dreams” is already being called one of the most poetic and emotional films of the season, reviewers note, highlighting the film’s atmosphere and understated acting.

The film tells the story of a lumberjack working on a railroad construction project in the American West in the early 20th century. Through his story, the director depicts a period of rapid change in the U.S.—industrialization, the development of railroads, and the transformation of society.

Critics note that the film combines a sweeping historical theme with a deeply personal story of loneliness, loss, and the search for meaning in life. It is precisely this dramatic depth, according to reviewers, that is traditionally well-received by members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Special mention is made of the cinematography and the film’s atmosphere, which conveys the rugged beauty of the American wilderness. Many reviews compare the film to classic dramas about the “little guy” trying to find his place in a rapidly changing world.

Experts also point to another trend in modern Hollywood—a return to deep, auteur-driven stories. After several years of dominance by large-scale franchises, the industry is once again turning to intimate dramas where emotion and human stories take center stage.

The 2026 Academy Awards ceremony will take place on the night of March 15–16, Kyiv time, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. It will be then that we will find out whether “Train Dreams” can confirm its status as one of the favorites of the awards season.

As reported, in Ukraine, the 2026 Oscars ceremony and the pre-show will be available to watch during the live broadcast, and actor and theater director Oleksiy Hnatkovsky will host the pre-show studio. It has also been revealed that for guests at the traditional Governors Ball reception following the ceremony, approximately 7,000 glasses of champagne and over 600 pizzas will be prepared. Earlier, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences also announced the list of nominees for the “2026 Oscars.” Palestinian actor Motaz Malhis, who starred in the film The Voice of Hind Rajab, stated that he likely will not be able to attend the 2026 Oscars ceremony in the U.S. due to visa issues.

The host of the 98th Academy Awards ceremony, Conan O’Brien, admitted that he removed a joke from his monologue about one of the nominated films after it failed to elicit the desired reaction during a test run in front of an audience. The 2026 Oscars are preparing a nostalgic surprise: “The Devil Wears Prada” may return to the stage

https://interfax.com.ua/news/culture/1151461.html

 

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Young Ukrainian designers showcased their collections at Milan Fashion Week

The international project Fashion PRORYV For Freedom held a series of fashion shows in Milan from February 24 to March 8, 2026, which were included in the official program of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Cultural Olympiad and Milan Fashion Week, according to the event organizers.

As noted in the press release, the project combined fashion, education, and human rights themes and served as a platform to introduce a new generation of Ukrainian designers to the European market. The event was organized by the associations VITAWORLD, Terre des Hommes Italia, and Fashion Globus Ukraine, with the support of the Consiglio Regione Lombardia and the regional branch of the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine in the Kyiv region.

The contest’s founder, Golda Vynohradska, emphasized that Milan served as a space where Ukrainian youth demonstrated not only their professional skills but also a modern European vision. According to her, Fashion PRORYV is a platform where fashion becomes a tool for education, cultural diplomacy, and new economic opportunities for the younger generation of Ukrainians.

The shows featured collections that combined high-level design, technical innovation, and a distinct cultural identity. The organizers paid special attention to inclusive design solutions for people with disabilities. According to their data, the first commercial orders were placed during the events, opening up prospects for cooperation between Ukrainian educational institutions and Italian partners.

Live performances dedicated to solidarity, freedom, and the empowerment of women were a separate part of the events. Braids in the colors of the flags of Ukraine, Venezuela, Kurdistan, and Italy served as a symbolic element. An artistic highlight of the program was a presentation by Ukrainian artist and designer Olga Nikitenko, dedicated to the civic stance of Ukrainian Olympian Vladislav Geraskevich.

Among the event’s guests of honor were fashion and design expert and former director of Vogue Italia Gisela Borioli, Chair of the Equal Opportunities Commission of the Comune di Milano Diana De Marchi, and President of the Italian Chamber of Commerce for Ukraine Walter Tognetti. They expressed their support for the international development of Ukrainian designers and highlighted the potential of such initiatives to strengthen cultural and economic ties between Ukraine and Italy.

The organizers emphasized that, in the context of the war, cultural and educational projects are of particular importance for Ukraine, as they contribute to the formation of new international ties and open up opportunities for the younger generation.

The organizers had previously announced plans for this event in the press room of the Interfax-Ukraine agency.

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TOP 10 Global Buyers of Ukrainian Wheat — Analysis by Experts Club

Over the first eight months of the 2025/26 marketing year, Ukraine exported 9.03 million tons of wheat, with Egypt (2.36 million tons) and Algeria (1.6 million tons) becoming the largest buyers. Indonesia ranked third with 1.4 million tons, the Ukrainian Grain Association (UGA) reported.

Among the top ten buyers of Ukrainian wheat, the UGA also names Yemen with 758 thousand tons, Vietnam with 531 thousand tons, Lebanon with 322 thousand tons, Spain with 304 thousand tons, Tunisia with 284 thousand tons, Italy with 197 thousand tons, and Thailand with 177 thousand tons. This supply structure shows that the main export destinations for Ukrainian wheat remain the countries of the Mediterranean, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia.

As of early March, customs statistics had already recorded exports of about 9.1 million tons of wheat and 22.3 million tons of grains and legumes in total since the start of the season. This is 25% less than on the same date of the previous marketing year. For comparison, in the 2024/25 MY, Ukraine exported 15.7 million tons of wheat and 40.6 million tons of grains and legumes overall.

At the same time, the Ukrainian government stated in November that it did not plan to restrict wheat exports during the current season. According to Deputy Minister of Economy Taras Vysotskyi, the 2025 wheat harvest will amount to about 23 million tons, while exports in the 2025/26 MY may reach approximately 17 million tons. This means that, based on the results of the first eight months, Ukraine has already shipped more than half of the expected seasonal volume.

The growing role of Egypt and Algeria became noticeable as early as the first half of the season. According to Elevatorist, citing APK-Inform analysts, from July to November Egypt increased its purchases of Ukrainian wheat to 2 million tons compared with 664 thousand tons a year earlier, while Algeria increased them to 932 thousand tons compared with 526 thousand tons. Indonesia, during the same period, on the contrary, slightly reduced its imports of Ukrainian wheat to 1.41 million tons.

In the opinion of the Experts Club analytical center, the change in export geography appears to be structural. Back in the summer, the Ukrainian authorities directly pointed out that after the EU restrictions on imports of Ukrainian wheat, part of the volume would have to be redirected to the markets of North Africa, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia. At the beginning of January, exports of Ukrainian wheat were already clearly concentrated in the MENA direction: during the first eight days of the month, shipments were focused primarily on Algeria, Egypt, and Yemen, while EU activity was minimal.

For Ukraine, this means that the markets of Egypt, Algeria, Indonesia, and other Global South countries are becoming key for monetizing the harvest and generating foreign currency revenues for the agricultural sector. At the same time, such a model increases dependence on stable maritime logistics through the Black Sea corridor, competitiveness against Russian and Romanian grain, and solvent demand in importing countries of the Mediterranean and Asia.

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TOKEN2049 crypto conference in Dubai has been postponed to 2027 due to war

According to Fixygen, the major international crypto conference TOKEN2049 Dubai, which was scheduled to take place in Dubai in April 2026, has been rescheduled for April 21–22, 2027. The organizers reported that the decision was made amid ongoing uncertainty in the region and its impact on security, international travel, and logistics.

The TOKEN2049 announcement emphasizes that the event has not been canceled, but rather postponed. All purchased tickets automatically remain valid for the 2027 Dubai conference, and those who wish to do so may transfer them to TOKEN2049 Singapore, scheduled for October 7–8, 2026, at Marina Bay Sands.

The postponement comes amid the U.S.-Israel war against Iran, which has already caused disruptions in the region and put pressure on Dubai’s reputation as a safe business and tourism hub. According to the agency, the conference typically attracts around 15,000 attendees, and this year’s program was expected to feature executives from Binance, Tether, and Telegram.

At the same time, the organizers stated that they remain confident in Dubai as one of the world’s most important centers for digital assets and plan to return to the emirate with an even stronger program in 2027.

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Crypto market rebounded above $70,000 for Bitcoin this week

According to Fixygen, this week was marked by high volatility for the crypto market, but by the end of the week, digital assets had managed to recoup a significant portion of their losses. As of Friday, Bitcoin was trading around $71,530, having risen to $73,900 during the day. Ethereum held steady at $2,120, with an intraday high of $2,200. This indicates that, following a nervous reaction to the escalation in the Middle East, the market has once again shifted toward buying the dips.

The main external driver of the week remained the conflict surrounding Iran. Oil jumped to $119.5 per barrel at the start of the week, and by Friday, Brent was hovering around $100, which intensified fears of a new round of inflation and a deterioration in global risk sentiment. Against this backdrop, the crypto market initially traded like a classic risk asset but then began to appear more stable than stocks and a number of other volatile instruments.

According to Fixygen analysts, institutional flows provided support to the market. According to CoinShares, for the week ending March 9, digital investment products attracted $619 million, with nearly all of the positive momentum coming from the U.S. Bitcoin accounted for $521 million in net inflows, Ethereum for $88.5 million, and Solana for $14.6 million, while XRP, conversely, saw a notable outflow of $30.3 million. The week prior, the market had already seen $1 billion in inflows following five weeks of outflows, indicating a gradual return of demand after the February correction.

However, the week’s performance was uneven. CoinShares notes that in the first three days, investors poured $1.44 billion into digital assets, but then on Thursday and Friday, outflows of $829 million followed due to a spike in oil prices. In other words, the market remains extremely sensitive to macroeconomics: as soon as traders again saw the risk of higher inflation and tighter interest rate expectations, appetite for crypto assets immediately deteriorated.

From a fundamental perspective, the week was rather neutral-to-positive. On the one hand, expectations remain that the U.S. ETF market will continue to gradually expand the presence of institutional capital in cryptocurrencies. On the other hand, difficulties have resurfaced in the U.S. regarding a key bill to regulate the crypto market: negotiations have stalled due to a dispute between banks and crypto companies over the future model for stablecoin products. This means that the market continues to receive support from capital but lacks full regulatory clarity.

In the short term, the market looks like this: Bitcoin has once again consolidated above the psychological threshold of $70,000, while Ethereum is holding the $2,000 range. This is a positive sign following the nervousness seen in February and March. But if the oil shock drags on and inflationary pressure intensifies, cryptocurrencies could quickly return to a mode of sharp sell-offs. For now, the week has largely ended in favor of the bulls: institutional money has returned, Bitcoin has rebounded, and the market has shown that even against the backdrop of war and high oil prices, it is not yet ready to enter a full-blown phase of capitulation.

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Soybean prices at ports have reached $450–475 per ton, up $60–70 for season

In the short term, prices for Ukrainian soybeans will depend on the situation in the global energy market and oil prices, which determine market conditions in the biofuel sector, according to the analytical cooperative “Push,” established within the All-Ukrainian Agrarian Council (VAR).

Analysts noted that export prices for Ukrainian soybeans are now significantly higher than at the start of the season. While soybeans were sold for approximately $390–395 per ton in September–November, current prices at ports have reached $450–460 per ton for GMO soybeans and $475 per ton for non-GMO soybeans, which is $60–70 per ton higher than at the start of the season.

“If prices rise by another $10–15 per ton, we could effectively be looking at a nearly $100 increase for the season,” experts noted.

Despite the attractive price conditions, the pace of Ukrainian soybean exports is gradually slowing down. According to analysts, shipment volumes stand at about 48,000 tons, which is significantly lower compared to the start of the marketing year, due to the impact of a 10% export duty, a reduction in domestic stocks, and the high cost of Ukrainian products on global markets.

“Ukrainian soybeans continue to lead in price in key markets. For example, in the Turkish market, they cost nearly $500 per ton, while Brazilian soybeans trade at $470–480 per ton,” the experts explained.

At the same time, prices remain high in the domestic market due to limited supply. According to analysts’ estimates, soybean stocks may fall below 1 million tons in May, which would mean that last year’s harvest has been almost completely depleted.

“Processors will need to operate until the new harvest, so they may be willing to pay a high price. It is possible that processors could raise soybean prices above 21,000 UAH/ton,” the cooperative believes.

At the same time, short-term market conditions will largely depend on the situation in the global energy market. In particular, soybean prices traditionally correlate with oil prices, as soybean oil is widely used in biodiesel production.

Short-term price fluctuations or even price declines are possible in the market in March and the first half of April. At the same time, in the medium term, the market will remain stable due to limited crop stocks and steady demand from domestic processors, concluded “Pushk.”

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