In January-November 2024, Ukraine increased imports of nickel and nickel products by 64.8% to $23.672 million. Nickel exports during this period amounted to only $585 thousand, which is 15% more than in the same period last year.
Nickel is used to make stainless steel and for nickel plating. Nickel is also used in the production of batteries, in powder metallurgy and in chemicals.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced talks with President of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic, during which the parties discussed issues of cooperation between the two countries.
“I spoke with the President of Serbia, thanked Aleksandar for supporting our country and our people. We discussed our cooperation – bilateral and also with other partners,” Zelenskyy said in a Thursday evening video address.
He noted that he greatly appreciates the Ukrainian-Serbian dialogue. “Maximum constructive relations for Ukraine and joint security with partners,” the Ukrainian president added.
The National Bank of Serbia (NBS) announced that at an extraordinary meeting of the Executive Board, new regulations were adopted, paving the way for the implementation of the state mortgage lending program for young citizens. According to the NBS representatives, these bylaws establish a clear regulatory framework, which is necessary for the implementation of the announced support measures for the purchase of the first home.
Under this program, it is planned to reduce the minimum down payment to 1% of the estimated value of the property, instead of the usual 10-20%. Studies conducted by the NBS have shown that such a measure is acceptable from the point of view of bank risk management, as the state is ready to provide guarantees and more favorable credit terms for this portfolio of mortgages.
In addition, banks are allowed to use the “loan to value” (LTV) indicator at the level of 99%, i.e. the borrower will only need to own 1% of the value of the apartment to be purchased. Also, financial institutions will have access to a reduced risk-indicator of 35% of the total amount of mortgage debt under the new program – this should encourage banks to more actively participate in granting loans to young buyers.
The NBS emphasized that the innovations will be useful both for borrowers, who get access to more affordable conditions for buying housing, and for the banks themselves, which are simplified the procedure for calculating risks. According to the official statement, the adopted regulations will enter into force eight days after the publication in Sluben Glasnik, and the implementation of the program can begin almost immediately, with the support of the guarantee mechanism from the Serbian government.
Source: https://news.relocation.rs/ipoteka-dlya-molodyh-v-serbii-nbs-snizha/
According to recent geological exploration data, lithium reserves at the Polokhivske deposit (Kirovohrad region) exceed 760 thousand tons of lithium carbonate equivalent (760 LCE kt), and Ukraine has significant potential for its extraction, said Ksenia Orynchak, Executive Director of the National Association of Extractive Industries of Ukraine (NADPU), in a commentary to Interfax-Ukraine.
“According to the latest geological exploration data for the Polokhivske deposit, the reserves exceed 760 thousand tons of lithium carbonate equivalent,” she said.
According to her, this deposit, which belongs to Ukrlithium mining, is one of the largest in Europe.
Orynchak reminded that there are four explored lithium deposits in Ukraine. Polokhivske is the only explored one where the owner holds a mining license. The others are Dobra (also in Kirovohrad region), Shevchenkivske (Donetsk region) and Kruta Balka (Zaporizhzhia region), the latter two located in the temporarily occupied territories.
“It is a fact that Ukraine has significant lithium mining potential. According to reputable studies, we are among the top three countries in terms of reserves, along with the Czech Republic and Serbia. (…) Ukraine is very favorably located geopolitically for the European Union,” the NAPRU head said.
Orynchak also disagreed with the opinion of Yegor Perelygin, Chairman of the Board of UMCC-Titanium – United Mining and Chemical Company JSC, who recently criticized the prospects for the development of Ukrainian lithium deposits due to low world prices for lithium, its surplus, high production and processing costs, and the need for significant investment in the face of high risks in Ukraine.
Earlier, the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine estimated that the country has about 500 thousand tons of lithium.
In January-September 2024, PJSC Ukrnafta produced 1.05 million tons of oil and condensate, while JSC Ukrgasvydobuvannya produced almost 0.37 million tons, according to the consolidated financial statements of the group published on the website of Naftogaz,
According to the document, the country’s private companies produced about 0.19 million tons of oil and condensate during the reporting period.
At the same time, the volume of diesel fuel imports to Ukraine in the first nine months of this year increased by 7.3% compared to January-September 2023, and its total value amounted to $4.36 billion.
The report also confirms the Group’s previously announced production volume of 11 bcm of gas for the first nine months of 2024 and the production forecast for the current year of about 14.7 bcm of commercial gas.
As reported, in 2022 Ukrnafta produced 1.37 mln tons of oil and condensate (-9% compared to 2021), in 2023 – 1.41 mln tons (+3% compared to 2022).
