The international reserves of Ukraine in November 2019 increased, according to preliminary data, by 2.5%, or $500 million, to $21.932 billion, according to the website of the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU). According to the central bank, the increase in international reserves is due, first of all, to the maintenance of a favorable situation in the country’s foreign exchange market. The National Bank notes that, despite a significant slowdown in the inflow of foreign capital into government bonds compared to the previous months, currency supply in the market remained significantly greater than demand due to substantial sales of foreign currency by exporters, which allowed the NBU to replenish international reserves by $897.8 million (net purchase). In particular, the central bank bought $777.8 million at a single rate and $120 million by choosing the best rate. The NBU did not carry out any interventions on the sale of currency last month.
According to the report, for the indicated period, $644.7 million was allocated for servicing and repaying the state debt in foreign currency. Of this amount, EUR425.5 million was paid on government domestic loan bonds, $9.2 million on eurobonds. In addition, $84.4 million were allocated to fulfill obligations to the International Monetary Fund.
These expenses were partially offset by revenues of $304.9 million from the placement of government domestic loan bonds denominated in foreign currency, the NBU notes.
Ukraine will send 20 tonnes of batteries for recycling to Romania, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic integration of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba wrote on his Twitter account on Thursday. “Batareiky, Zdavaitesia organization for the first time in Ukraine received permission to recycle batteries in the EU! 20 tonnes will go to Romania,” he said.
“Reforming the waste system under European standards is a step towards the EU,” the minister said.
The organizers said on their Facebook page that the batteries will go for recycling to the GreenWEEE factory, which is located near Buzau. The factory has been recycling batteries since 2011, and has been operating since 2007. It is engaged in the recycling of old electronic equipment.
To send the first batch of collected batteries for recycling, you need a cover letter from the Ministry of Energy and Environmental Protection of Ukraine and approval by the Romanian government. It is expected that it will be received within two to three weeks.
National bank of Ukraine’s official rates as of 05/12/19
Source: National Bank of Ukraine
Official rates of banking metals from national bank as of December 06
One troy ounce=31.10 grams
Pharmacy sales in Ukraine in January-October 2019 in monetary terms decreased by 3.37% compared to the same period in 2018 and amounted to UAH 66.663 billion. Business Credit told Interfax-Ukraine over the period pharmacy sales in natural terms decreased by 9%, to 1.139 billion packages.
According to the company, retail sales of medicines in January-October in monetary terms fell by 4.79%, to UAH 53.987 billion, in natural terms by 16.8%, to 693.988 million packages.
The average weighted price of all categories of pharmacy retail products in January-October amounted to UAH 58, medicines some UAH 77.79.
Housing commissioning in Ukraine through January-September 2019 increased 48% compared to the same period in 2018, to 7.743 million square meters.
As Ukraine’s State Statistics Service said, the report does not include information from Russian-occupied areas: Crimea, Sevastopol and parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
According to the service, the share of commissioning of houses built without permits for construction work and put in operation under temporary commissioning rules was 25.6% (1.98 million square meters).
According to the report, 4.799 million square meters of housing was commissioned in urban areas in the first nine months of 2019, and 2.944 million in rural areas. Some 54.1% of total volume of housing was commissioned in single-family houses, and 45.9% in houses with two and more apartments.
Over the period, 87,374 apartments were commissioned, including 61,500 in urban areas and 25,900 in rural areas. Average area of apartments was 88.6 square meters.
Some 56.1% of housing was commissioned in Kyiv city and region, as well as Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk and Odesa regions in the first nine months of 2019, in particular in Kyiv city – 934,500 square meters.
The decline in the volume of commissioning was seen in Kharkiv region – by 8.1%, to 262,700 square meters.
The biggest growth in housing commissioning year-over-year (not taking into account temporary commissioning rules) was seen in Chernivtsi (by 169.8%, to 356,700 square meters), Mykolaiv (by 126.4%, to 67,900 square meters), Ternopil (by 116.3%, to 268,900 square meters), Ivano-Frankivsk (by 120.2%, to 569,900 square meters) and Kirovohrad regions (by 120.1%, to 56,500 square meters).
