New York has retained the top spot among 69 cities worldwide in terms of rental costs for both one-bedroom and three-bedroom apartments, according to data from the Deutsche Bank Research Institute.
In the ranking of three-bedroom apartment rents, Zurich, San Francisco, Boston, and Singapore follow New York. London ranked eighth, Paris 21st, Frankfurt 30th, Tokyo 40th, and Seoul 44th.
The authors of the study point out that a high nominal salary does not always translate to high disposable income. New York ranks among the top five cities globally in terms of net wages, yet a significant portion of residents’ income is consumed by housing costs.
The contrast with Tokyo is particularly striking: renting a three-bedroom apartment in the Japanese capital costs about four times less than in New York.
Data from Deutsche Bank show that housing costs are becoming one of the main factors driving differences in real living standards among the world’s largest financial centers.
Imports of trucks to Ukraine in January–June 2026 fell by 6.7% in monetary terms compared to the same period in 2025—to $446.1 million, according to statistics from the State Customs Service.
According to the published data, imports of these vehicles in June, in particular, rose by 4% compared to June 2025 and by 4% compared to May of this year—reaching $94.14 million.
As in the previous year, the largest number of trucks in January–June was imported from Poland, but imports from that country fell by 40.4%—to $58.06 million—and its share of total truck imports dropped to 13% from 20.4%.
Imports from Italy, which did not rank among the top three truck suppliers in the first half of the year, totaled $55.2 million (12.38%), while imports from France fell by 36.5% to $47.7 million (10.68%).
In January–June of last year, the top three truck suppliers were Poland, the United States, and France.
Truck imports from all other countries increased by 27% in the first half of the year, reaching $285.1 million.
At the same time, according to statistics, Ukraine exported only $1.85 million worth of trucks over the six-month period, mostly to Turkey, while a year ago, exports totaled nearly $3.5 million, also primarily to Turkey.
As previously reported, in 2025, imports of trucks into Ukraine increased by 5.5% compared to 2024—to $999.5 million, with the largest volumes coming from France—$169.2 million (42.8% more than the year before last), Poland—$162.7 million (-14.7%), and the U.S.—$109 million (+2%).
In 2026, Hong Kong remained the world’s most expensive city for purchasing a downtown apartment, according to the Deutsche Bank Research Institute’s study “Mapping the World’s Prices 2026.”
The average cost of housing in the city’s central districts is estimated at $27,753 per square meter. Zurich, Seoul, Singapore, and Geneva follow in the ranking. Despite a price decline of approximately 10% compared to pre-pandemic levels, Hong Kong retained its top spot.
Compared to the previous edition of the study, the average price per square meter in Hong Kong rose from $26,749 to $27,753. High real estate prices remain one of the main factors limiting housing affordability, even for city residents with relatively high incomes.
High real estate prices also affected Hong Kong’s ranking in the quality of life index. The city dropped from 48th to 55th place out of 69. Among other negative factors, the study’s authors cite air pollution and long commutes to work.
In January–June of this year, Ukraine’s ferroalloy exports decreased by 80.5% in volume terms compared to the same period last year—to 15,212 thousand metric tons from 54,771 thousand metric tons.
According to statistics released by the State Customs Service (SCS), 6,432 thousand metric tons of ferroalloys were exported in June, 4,851 thousand metric tons in May, 2,755 thousand metric tons in April, 337 metric tons in March, 72 metric tons in February, and 765 metric tons in January.
In monetary terms, ferroalloy exports for January–June fell by 70.2% to $18.220 million. The main export destinations were Poland (56.82% in monetary terms), Turkey (13.80%), and Romania (9.39%).
In addition, during the first six months of the year, Ukraine imported 13,097 thousand metric tons of these products—a 36.8% decrease compared to January–June 2025. In monetary terms, imports fell by 36.9% to $25.553 million. Imports came primarily from Kazakhstan (23.21%), India (13.61%), and France (11.52%).
As previously reported, the Pokrovsk Mining and Processing Plant (PGZK, formerly the Ordzhonikidze Mining and Processing Plant) and the Marganetsk Mining and Processing Plant (MGZK, both located in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast), which are part of the Privat Group, ceased the extraction and processing of raw manganese ore in late October–early November 2023, while the
NZF and ZZF plants halted ferroalloy smelting. In the summer of 2024, the ferroalloy plants resumed production at a minimal level.
Since January 19, 2026, due to problems with electricity supply and high electricity prices, NZF has been idle, while ZZF is operating at a minimal level.
In 2025, ferroalloy plants increased their exports of ferroalloys by 21.4% in volume terms compared to 2024—to 93,841 thousand metric tons—while revenue rose by 19% to $105.441 million. The main export destinations were Poland (28.69% of shipments in monetary terms), Turkey (21.62%), and Algeria (21.48%).
In 2025, Ukraine imported 38,434 thousand metric tons of this product—a 53.3% decrease compared to 2024. In monetary terms, imports fell by 47.5% to $73.839 million. Imports came primarily from Norway (16.11%), Kazakhstan (15.89%), and France (12.56%).
Prior to the nationalization of the financial institution, PrivatBank managed the operations of ZZF, NZF, the Stakhanov Ferroalloy Plant (located at NKT), and the Pokrovsk and Marganetsk Mining and Processing Plants. The Nikopol Ferroalloy Plant is controlled by the EastOne Group, formed in the fall of 2007 as a result of the restructuring of the Interpipe Group, as well as by the Privat Group.
EXPORT, FERROALLOY, IMPORT, POLAND, ДМС
The “Agrotrade” Group has begun the 2026 harvest, during which early grain and oilseed crops will be harvested this year on an area of over 20,000 hectares, the company’s press service reported.
“We have mobilized a sufficient number of machines, including 25 combine harvesters and a large number of trucks for transporting grain, to carry out the harvest without delays, since after the harvest is complete, we will begin planting winter rapeseed, followed by wheat. Our main task is to harvest the crop—which the team has been working on all year—in a timely and high-quality manner,” the press service quoted Ivan Kryuchkov, director of the group’s agro-industrial department, as saying.
According to the report, three of the company’s clusters were the first to join the harvest campaign. In the Poltava region, threshing of winter rapeseed has begun, while in the Chernihiv region, threshing of winter rapeseed and winter barley has started. The Kharkiv cluster will join the harvest once the seed winter wheat has reached the required maturity.
The company noted that this year, early crops will be harvested across four clusters. The area planted with winter rapeseed totals 8,230 hectares, winter barley—523 hectares, and winter wheat—11,500 hectares. The total area under these crops exceeds 20,000 hectares.
The Agrotrade Group is a vertically integrated holding company that cultivates over 70,000 hectares of land. It owns a network of grain elevators with a capacity of 570,000 metric tons and a seed plant based at the “Kolos” farm (Kharkiv Oblast). The founder and CEO is Vsevolod Kozhemyako.
Agrotrade, harvest, rapeseed, wheat, agricultural holding
Extreme heat and a prolonged drought have led to a sharp drop in the water level of the Danube in Romania, according to the Experts Club information and analysis centre. In the area around the port of Beșet, the movement of cargo, passenger and cruise ships has virtually ground to a halt, and operators are being forced to reduce their cargo loads or seek alternative routes.
According to Romania’s National Institute of Hydrology and Water Management, on July 18 the water discharge at the point where the Danube enters the country near Baziaș fell to 1.7 thousand cubic metres per second. This is approximately 64% below the long-term average for July, which is 4.7 thousand cubic metres per second. The forecast for the period through July 25 assumes that the discharge will remain within the range of 1.65–1.8 thousand cubic metres per second.
On July 19, the Lower Danube Administration recorded readings below the conventional zero level of the gauging stations along a significant part of the Romanian section of the river. In Bechet, the reading was minus 65 cm, in Calafat minus 140 cm, in Giurgiu minus 128 cm, and in Cernavodă minus 173 cm. These values do not indicate a negative depth, but they do demonstrate an extremely low water level relative to the benchmarks used at the gauging stations.
The most difficult situation developed near Bechet. Vessels loaded with grain are unable to depart, while ferry services between Romania’s Bechet and Bulgaria’s Oryahovo were temporarily suspended. Trucks and passenger cars have to use other border crossings, which increases the distance, delivery time and burden on road bridges across the Danube.
The problems have also affected the tourism sector. Several cruise ships travelling from Budapest towards the Danube Delta were unable to continue their journey. Tour operators began transporting passengers by bus and changing travel programmes, including redirecting tourists to Bucharest. The suspension or reduction of cruise routes may reduce the revenues of port cities, hotels, restaurants and tour companies along the entire river.
Low water levels are already affecting Romanian agriculture. In some areas, the Danube’s level has fallen below the minimum mark required for pumping stations to operate, leaving some fields without irrigation. This increases the risk of lower harvests and a further rise in farmers’ costs.
Consequences for All Danube Countries
If the low water level persists or spreads to other sections of the river, the consequences will be felt by all ten countries through which the Danube flows directly: Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova and Ukraine. The Danube is the backbone of a major European transport corridor linking the industrial regions of Central Europe with the port of Constanța and the Black Sea.
For Germany and Austria, the main risk will be disruption to through freight transport along the Rhine–Main–Danube system. Vessels will be forced to carry smaller loads, while some shipments may shift to rail and road transport. This increases the cost of delivering raw materials, fuel and industrial products. The cruise sectors of Vienna, Linz, Passau and other cities may also face route cancellations or reductions.
Slovakia and Hungary risk experiencing delays in deliveries through the ports of Bratislava, Komárno and Budapest. For Hungary, an additional problem will be a reduction in cruise traffic between Budapest and the Lower Danube. If low water levels persist, the cost of transporting grain, petroleum products, metals and mineral raw materials may rise.
For Croatia and Serbia, the reduction in fairway depth means possible restrictions on the operations of the ports of Vukovar, Novi Sad, Pančevo, Smederevo and Prahovo. Serbian exporters of grain, fertilisers and metallurgical products may have to divide cargoes among a larger number of vessels or redirect them to rail transport. Imports of petroleum products and industrial raw materials may also become more expensive.
Bulgaria and Romania are already experiencing direct consequences in the form of the suspension of the Oryahovo–Bechet ferry, restrictions on freight traffic and irrigation problems. A further decline in the water level could complicate the operations of the river ports of Ruse, Lom, Vidin, Galați, Brăila and Constanța, as well as increase the burden on bridges and land border checkpoints.
For Moldova, the risks are associated with the operation of the port of Giurgiulești and access to the Lower Danube. A reduction in vessels’ permitted draught may lead to smaller shipment volumes per consignment, higher fuel import costs and more expensive exports of agricultural products.
For Ukraine, low water levels pose a threat to the operation of the ports of Reni, Izmail and Ust-Dunaisk. Shallow depths may reduce the loading capacity of barges and sea-going vessels, increase the cost of transporting grain, metal, containers and other products, and complicate traffic between Ukrainian ports, Constanța and Central Europe.
According to the Danube Commission, a significant share of river transport consists of grain, food and animal feed cargoes, iron ore, petroleum products, fertilisers and metal products. Therefore, prolonged low water levels may affect not only transport companies but also prices in agriculture, metallurgy, energy and the food industry throughout the region.
In April 2026, the Danube Commission warned that periods of low water and sharp fluctuations in hydrological conditions were becoming a permanent factor changing the operating conditions of river transport. European countries will have to deepen and maintain the fairway more actively, improve the exchange of navigation data and develop railway routes for the rapid redirection of cargo.
