Citizens of Ukraine are asked to refrain from traveling to Kazakhstan in connection with the introduction of a state of emergency in the period from January 5 to January 19, 2022, the Embassy of Ukraine in Kazakhstan said.
“In connection with the introduction of a state of emergency from January 5 to January 19, 2022 in Almaty, Almaty and Mangystau regions, we recommend that you refrain from arriving in Kazakhstan, and citizens in Kazakhstan should refrain from visiting crowded places during the state of emergency in the country,” the Embassy said on its Facebook page.
As reported, protest rallies against the sharp increase in prices for liquefied gas began in Kazakhstan in Zhanaozen (a city in Mangystau region in western Kazakhstan) on January 2. They then escalated into massive protests across the country with economic and political demands. On January 4, protesters clashed with security officials in Almaty.
President of the country Kassym-Jomart Tokayev introduced a state of emergency in Almaty, Mangystau and Almaty regions for the period until January 19 and a curfew, which will operate from 23:00 to 07:00.
On the morning of January 5, the government of Kazakhstan was dismissed.
Kernel, one of the largest Ukrainian agrarian groups, will begin paying dividends for FY2021 (July – June) from February 15, payments will be $0.44 per share, which is $0.02 per share more than in FY2020.
According to the company’s statement on the Warsaw Stock Exchange on Tuesday evening, the decision on the payment of dividends and their amount was made by the shareholders at the general meeting held on December 10, 2021, while on January 4, its board of directors determined the payment date.
In total, $36.97 million will be allocated for the payment of dividends.
Kernel’s current share price is PLN 57.1 (2.7% less) over the week, while over the year it increased by 15.7% from PLN 49.35.
As reported, the agricultural holding paid $35.3 million in dividends for FY2020 on January 14, 2021 at the rate of $0.42 per share.
On April 30, 2020, the group of companies paid out $20.5 million in dividends for FY2019 in the amount of $0.25 per share, similar to FY2018.
Kernel is a manufacturer and exporter of sunflower oil, operating in the production, export and domestic sales of sunflower oil, crop production, export of grain crops, provision of services for storage and transshipment of grain at elevators and port terminals.
Health Minister Viktor Liashko has said that the Ukrainian pharmaceutical company Farmak produces more than 200 types of medicines of the European quality level after a visit to the manufacturer.
“Today I have visited the Farmak company, one of the leaders in the production of pharmaceuticals. The company’s drugs, including insulin, are actively reimbursed within the framework of the Affordable Medicines program … In total, the company produces more than 200 types of drugs, the quality of which corresponds to the European level. The company is constantly developing, investing in new production facilities and building a new innovation center,” Liashko said on his Facebook page.
He also recalled that pharmaceutical independence is necessary more than ever, because the COVID-19 pandemic has once again proved that in the event of emergencies, each country provides its own need with priority.
Liashko noted that the state is interested in the development of long-term and systematic cooperation with Ukrainian pharmaceutical companies: “the development of national pharmaceutical production is one of the goals of the National Economic Strategy for the period until 2030, which the government approved in March 2021.”
The localization of drug production, the launch of its own production of immunobiological drugs, including calendar vaccines are among the potential areas of cooperation between the state and business.
Average price of one square meter in new residential complexes in Kyiv in January-2022 is UAH 35,000 ($1,280), the minimum price is UAH 22,900 ($840), according to market research data from the LUN portal.
According to the research results, the average cost of one square meter in new economy class residential complexes of Kyiv in January is UAH 23,000 ($850), comfort class – UAH 27,200 ($1,000), business class – UAH 52,900 ($1,940), premium class – UAH 78,600 ($2,900).
According to LUN analysts, prices vary depending on the location of the facility. So, in the Pechersky district, the average price per square meter in new housing estates is UAH 69,100 ($2,550), in Podilsky – UAH 48,800 ($1,800), Shevchenkivsky – UAH 44,500 ($1,630), Holosiyivsky – UAH 37,500 ($1,380), Dniprovsky – UAH 30,500 ($1,120), Sviatoshynsky – UAH 30,000 ($1,100), Obolonsky – UAH 28,500 ($1,050), Solomiansky – UAH 28,000 ($1,030), Darnytsky – UAH 26,500 ($980), Desniansky – UAH 23,900 ($880).
According to statistics, the average price per square meter in new residential complexes in the suburbs of Kyiv in January is UAH 21,200 ($780). At the same time, in Vyshgorod it is UAH 23,500 ($860), in Brovary – UAH 19,000 ($690), Boryspil – UAH 19,600 ($720), Hatne – UAH 21,700 ($800) , Sviatopetrovsky – UAH 20,200 ($740), Vyshneve – UAH 24,500 ($900), Sofiyivska Borschahivka – UAH 22,800 ($840), Petropavlivska Borschahivka – UAH 23,900 ($880) , Irpen – UAH 23,100 ($850), Bucha and Hostomel – UAH 20,000 ($730).
Mining enterprises of Ukraine in 2021, according to operational data, increased the export of iron ore in monetary terms by 62.91% compared to the previous year, to $6.91 billion.
According to preliminary summarized statistics released by the State Customs Service on Tuesday, iron ore exports in December amounted to $276.18 million, while in November it was $312.75 million, October it was $371.09 million, September $472.96 million, August $777.958 million, and July $782.04 million.
As reported, in 2020 Ukraine increased iron ore exports by 16% compared to the previous year, to 46.293 million tonnes, while foreign exchange earnings from iron ore exports grew by 24.7%, to $4.239 billion.
In 2020, iron ore was imported to Ukraine for $75,000 in a total volume of 123 tonnes, while in 2019 it was 14,245 tonnes for $1.412 million.
The Business Activity Outlook Index (BAOI), calculated by the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU), fell to 48.6 in December from 49.8 in November, and continued to fall below the neutral level, as evidenced by the results of a survey of enterprises released on Tuesday conducted by the central bank.
“For the second month in a row, business expectations for their economic results were below neutral levels amid continuing quarantine restrictions. Surging energy prices, shortages of raw materials, higher production costs, a greater probability of an escalation of the armed conflict and an increase in COVID-19 cases worldwide weakened expectations in all of the surveyed sectors,” the National Bank said, commenting on the results of the December poll.
According to the study, services companies have been expecting weaker performance for two months running, the DI being 47.8 in December, down from 48.8 in November. Respondents expected a decrease in the number of new orders, while also expecting no change in the amount of services provided. At the same time, they expected an increase in the amount of services that are being provided.
The expectations of trading companies also worsened, moving below their neutral level, as the sector’s DI dropped to 49.6 in December, down from 50.0 in November. Respondents expected an increase in the stocks of goods for sale, while also expecting the amount of goods purchased for sale to be unchanged on the previous month. Trading companies said they intended to decrease their trade margins further. With a seasonal rise in demand, respondents remained upbeat about their trade turnover.
Construction companies reported the most pessimistic expectations of their performance, as the sector’s index dropped to 47.2 in December, down from 50.4 in November, dragged down by a seasonal decline in economic activity and narrowing investment demand. Respondents expected a drop in the number of new orders and, consequently, a drop in their purchases of raw materials and supplies.
Industrial companies were pessimistic about their performance and economic outlook for the first time in the last seven months, as the sector’s DI dropped to 49.0, down from 50.7 in November. Respondents expected a decrease in the number of new export orders.
According to the NBU, employment expectations worsened: only trading companies said they intended to hire more staff, while industrial, construction and services companies reported intentions to cut their workforces.
The monthly survey was conducted from December 6 to December 23, 2021. A total of 405 companies were polled. Of the companies polled, 44.7% are industrial companies, 28.6% services companies, 20.7% trading companies, and 5.9% construction companies; 33.3% of the respondents are large companies, 28.9% medium companies, and 37.8% small companies.
