Foreign Minister of Norway Ine Marie Eriksen Søreide will pay a working visit to Ukraine on September 4-6. The press service of the Foreign Ministry of Ukraine said within the framework of the visit the Norwegian minister will hold talks with the foreign minister of Ukraine.
“Important attention will be paid to the development of a political dialogue, strengthening the positive dynamics of trade and economic relations, attracting Norwegian investments, as well as effective implementation of the Norwegian government’s assistance projects in the implementation of reforms in Ukraine,” the press service said.
The agency added the ministers will pay attention to deepening cooperation to counter threats in Europe, including the ways to resolve the conflict in Donbas.
One troy ounce=31.10 grams
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has appointed Serhiy Shutenko Ambassador of Ukraine to Greece.
“To appoint Serhiy Oleksandrovych Shutenko extraordinary and plenipotentiary ambassador of Ukraine to Greece,” presidential decree No. 267/2018 of September 3 states.
Shutenko, born in 1968, worked in the Mission of Ukraine to NATO, as the Consul General of Ukraine in Thessaloniki (Greece), the deputy director of the personnel department of the Foreign Ministry of Ukraine.
The Kyivstar mobile communications operator increased the number of М2М Sim cards (machine-to-machine) by 23% in July 2018 compared with July 2017, to 1.4 million.
The operator reported on its website that among leaders that used М2М Sim cards are security, finance, retail, energy spheres and agriculture, and one of the growth factors is development of the Internet of Things (IoT).
According to the operator, corporate clients have 92% of M2M cards: initially the technology was developed to automate business processes.
In a year, the number of М2М Sim cards among individuals grew by 78%.
“Our customers more often use smart devices with M2M SIM cards installed in them. Kyivstar has joined the projects with a large network player who not only works with a variety of different sensors, but can also ensure their reliable operation by creating an ecosystem for associations of M2M-cards and sensors,” Kyivstar director for business development in the corporate market Yevhen Krazhan said.
The company said that the largest share of M2M SIM cards Kyivstar (37%) is used for security systems of houses, offices, cars and other property.
M2M cards are used to automatically transfer data from a device to another device.
Revenue of Ukrainian banks, not taking into account insolvent banks, in January-July 2018 totaled UAH 108.913 billion, which is 7.17% more than a year ago, according to a posting on the website of the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU).
The number of banks for the period from August 1, 2017 to August 1, 2018, was reduced to 82 from 89. At the same time, the assets of banks during this period increased by 4.05%, to UAH 1.315 trillion, and total assets (not adjusted to reserves for covering possible losses from active operations) grew by 7.77%, to UAH 1.876 trillion.
The National Bank said the interest income of banks over the period increased by 9.37%, to UAH 78.045 billion, while the loan portfolio from August 1, 2017 to August 1, 2018 increased by 10.92%, to UAH 1.078 trillion.
Commission income rose by 3307%, to UAH 28.303 billion, other operating revenues also increased by 56.72%, to UAH 4.661 billion, other income by 21.06%, to UAH 799 million.
Expenses of the banking system over the period amounted to UAH 99.144 billion, which is 2.65% less than for the same period in 2017.
Interest expenses decreased by 8.19%, to UAH 39.154 billion, while the total amount of deposited funds, including term deposits from other banks, grew by 8.18%, to UAH 953.163 billion.
Net profit after taxes of Ukrainian banks in January-July 2018 totaled UAH 9.769 billion, while a year ago the loss of UAH 223 million was recorded.
