Ukrainian enterprises increased imports of copper and copper products in terms of money by 19.7% in January-March 2019 compared with January-March 2018, to $27.419 million.
Exports of copper and copper products decreased 57.4% over the year to $19.412 million, according to customs statistics released by the State Fiscal Service of Ukraine.
In March, copper and copper products were imported to the tune of $11.753 million, and copper exports were estimated at $7.739 million.
In addition, Ukraine in January-March 2019 increased imports of nickel and products made of it by 3.4%, to $24.133 million (imports in March were estimated at $8.338 million), while imports of aluminum and products made of it fell by 4.4%, to $78.605 million ($27.829 million). Imports of, lead and products made of it rose by 11.8%, to $3.193 million ($0.918 million) and imports of tin and products made of it decreased 38%, to $0.809 ($0.45 million). Imports of zinc and zinc goods decreased 43.1%, to $12.237 million ($4.986 million).
Exports of aluminum and products made of it decreased 33.5% in January-March 2019, to $23.888 million ($8.836 million in March alone), while shipments of lead abroad decreased 49.8%, to $5.285 million ($2.302 million). Exports of nickel fell by 70.8%, to $0.671 million ($0.265 million in March).
Zinc exports in January-March 2019 amounted to $0.197 million (some $0.111 million in March) compared to $0.042 million in January-March 2018.
Exports of tin and products made of it in January-March 2019 were estimated at $0.02 million (some $0.005 million in March) compared to $0.257 million in January-March 2018.
Ukraine in January-March 2019 boosted exports of ferroalloys by 7.7% compared to the same period last year, to 238,167 tonnes (221,163 tonnes in January-March 2018).
According to customs statistics made public by the State Fiscal Service of Ukraine, exports of ferroalloys in monetary terms grew by 1.7%, to $262.904 million.
Major exports were carried out to Italy (18.1% of supply in monetary terms), Turkey (15.62%), and the Netherlands (8.06%).
In addition, in January-March 2019, Ukraine imported 13,855 tonnes of similar products, which is 21.6% more compared to the same period last year. In monetary terms, imports for this period increased by 4.9%, to $36.827 million.
Imports were mainly made from Norway (22.11%), the Czech Republic (22.11%), and Kazakhstan (15.68%).
As reported, Ukraine in 2018 increased exports of ferroalloys in natural terms by 3.5% compared to the same period last year, to 904,290 tonnes. Exports of ferroalloys in monetary terms fell by 12.3%, to $977.858 million. Major exports were carried out to Turkey (16.84% of supply in monetary terms), Italy (15.78%), and the Netherlands (13.73%).
Last year Ukraine imported 60,373 tonnes of similar products, which is 2% less compared to 2017. In monetary terms, imports for this period increased by 26.9%, to $170.530 million. Imports were mainly made from Norway (21.9%), the Czech Republic (17.58%), and Kazakhstan (14.75%).
PrivatBank (Kyiv) prior to its nationalization organized the business of Stakhanov and Zaporizhia ferroalloys plants. Nikopol Ferroalloy Plant is under control of the EastOne Group, established in autumn 2007 as a result of the restructuring of the Interpipe group, as well as the Privat Group.
Kyiv Sikorsky International Airport in January-March 2019 served 638,100 passengers, which is 44.3% more than in the same period of 2018.
According to statistics released by the airport’s press service, the number of passengers served on international flights in the first quarter was 622,300, and on domestic flights some 15,800.
At the same time, the number of flights amounted to 6,669 on arrival/departure, which is 21.3% more than in the same period in 2018, including 5,624 international flights, and 1,045 domestic flights.
The most popular international destinations at the airport in January-March 2019 were Sharm el Sheikh (Egypt), Warsaw (Poland), Minsk (Belarus), Ankara (Turkey), Vienna (Austria), Berlin (Germany), Budapest (Hungary), internal – Odesa, Zaporizhia, and Lviv.
Seaports of Ukraine in January-March 2019 handled 36.96 million tonnes of cargo, which is 12.43% more compared to the same period of 2018.
According to the Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority, the products of the agro-industrial complex, the mining and smelting complex, container cargoes, as well as fertilizers contributed to the upward dynamics in transshipment.
According to the authority, in January-March, the volume of transshipment of grain cargo amounted to more than 13.7 million tonnes, which is 33.5% more than the same period last year. Ore transshipment increased by more than 30% (7.8 million tonnes against almost 6 million tonnes in the first quarter of 2018). Almost 6% growth was for vegetable oil – about 1.6 million tonnes were already handled.
The growth trend in container cargo handling continues: in the first quarter of 2019, 223,500 TEU were handled, which is more than 14% higher than the same period last year.
“Since the beginning of the sowing campaign, the increase in imports of chemical and mineral fertilizers, both packaged and bulk ones, continues. The total volume of their transshipment in the first quarter of 2019 amounted to almost 640,000 tonnes, which more than twice bigger than the same figure of last year”, the authority said.
As in the first quarter of 2018, the growth in total transshipment volumes took place primarily thanks to exports, which increased by almost 5 million tonnes (a rise of 20.1%), while imports and transit, on the contrary, decreased by 6.1% and 17.2%, respectively.
In January-March, the Yuzhny port became the absolute leader in terms of cargo handling volumes – 11.6 million tonnes, which is almost 19% more than in the same period of 2018. The figure of 8 million tonnes was exceeded by the port of Mykolaiv: in general, the transshipment volume here reached 8.12 million tonnes, which is more than 26% more than the same period last year. Over three months, the ports of Chornomorsk and Odesa handled over 6 million tonnes of cargo: 6.37 million tonnes and 6.22 million tonnes, respectively.
Since the beginning of 2019, Ukrainian seaports handled 2,838 vessels, which are 15 units less than in January-March 2018.
Some 1,370 passengers used services of water transport in the ports over the period (33% more than a year ago).
S&P Global Ratings affirmed its ‘B-/B’ long- and short-term foreign and local currency sovereign credit ratings on Ukraine. The outlook is stable. “While the economy is growing and inflation is on a downward path, the financing outlook is uncertain for government foreign currency redemptions beyond 2019, when Ukraine will have to negotiate a fresh agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF),” S&P said.
Ukraine faces sizable external debt repayments against the backdrop of presidential and parliamentary elections in 2019.
The stable outlook reflects our expectation that Ukraine will broadly comply with the terms of the $3.9 billion IMF stand-by arrangement, potentially with some delays.
Ratings pressure could build if disruptions to funding from concessional programs or capital market access over the next year call into question Ukraine’s ability to meet large external repayments over the remainder of the year and in 2020.
“An adverse final ruling in Ukraine’s legal battle with Russia over a Eurobond issued in December 2013, and held by Russia, could have implications for Ukraine, in our opinion. Such a ruling could be some years away. However in a worst-case scenario, it might create technical constraints for Ukraine’s ability to repay its commercial debt held by other creditors, which would pressure the ratings. We note that the government believes there is no potential for technical constraints on debt service, even in the case of an adverse ruling in the future,” S&P said.
“We could consider a positive rating action if we see improvements in growth, fiscal and external imbalances beyond our expectations, and if we conclude that the security situation in the non-government-controlled areas in the East of the country has stabilized and further escalation is unlikely,” S&P said.
Average retail prices for petrol in Ukraine in the period from April 5 through April 12, 2019 grew by 0.7-1%, while prices of diesel fuel remained unchanged, according to data from the A-95 Consulting Group (Kyiv). Prices of LPG continued growing, by 2.86% over the reporting period.
As reported, the average retail price for LPG in March rose by 20%, to UAH 12.57 per liter.
Changes in average retail fuel prices UAH per liter in Ukraine:
©Source: A-95 Consulting Company
