Benchmark oil prices are moderately rising on Friday morning after a slight decline the day before, which did not prevent the quotes from ending in the black for the second month in a row.
The price of May futures for Brent on the London ICE Futures exchange at 7:01 a.m. is $82.19 per barrel, which is $0.28 (0.34%) higher than at the close of the previous session. On Thursday, these contracts fell in price by $0.24 (0.3%) to $81.91 per barrel.
Quotations for April futures for WTI in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) by this time increased by $0.21 (0.27%) to $78.47 per barrel. At the end of the previous session, the contract fell by $0.28 (0.4%) to $78.26 per barrel.
In February, the price of Brent rose by 2.3%, WTI – by 3.2%, despite “various forces that put pressure on the global commodity market,” said FXTM analyst Lukman Otunuga.
“In any case, prices remain in a fairly wide range, and it will take a fundamental stimulus to shift the balance of power towards bulls or bears,” he said in an interview with MarketWatch. – “This could be an extension of OPEC+ supply cuts, increased geopolitical tensions, or a pleasant surprise from the Chinese economy.
Finland is the best country in the EU for women in the workplace, a new study has revealed. Personal finance experts Finansvalp analysed Eurostat data on seats held by women in national parliaments, women in senior management positions, and the 2022 median net income by gender in the 27 EU member countries. Each country was given a gender-equality score out of 50 and ranked from worst to best.
Finland topped the study as the best country for gender equality in the workplace. The country ranked above every other destination due to a high percentage of women in senior roles nationwide. Women make up 72.4% of seats in the national government, the highest percentage of any country in the EU. Finland also placed second for the share of women in seats at national parliament with 46%. Despite a high volume of women taking on senior positions in the country, the gender pay gap still seems to be an issue in Finland. The median net income for men in 2022 sat at €27,353, while women earned 6.04% less on average with €25,719.
Portugal fell just short of Finland, ranking second for gender equality in the workplace. In 2022, the median net income in Portugal was higher for women than men, positioning the country as the only EU nation where female workers earn more on average. Women took home a median net income of €11,038, 0.53% more than the median wage of €10,979 for men. While annual earnings propelled Portugal near the top of the study, the country had the sixth lowest share of female executives, with women counting for only 16.9% of executives at Portugal’s largest publicly listed companies.
France claimed third spot on the study of the EU countries with the most gender-equal workplaces. The country rated high for gender equality thanks to a large percentage of women in leadership roles in some of its biggest publicly listed companies. Women made up 46.1% of board members at these major corporations, the highest percentage of any EU country. One of every four executives at the same companies are women (29%), second only behind Lithuania.
Sweden placed fourth on the study for gender equality in the workplace. The country is home to the most gender-equal parliament in the EU. Approximately 46.6% of seats in the national parliament are held by females, more than any other nation. Sweden also has the fourth-highest percentage of female executives at the country’s large public organisations, with women representing 28.6% of all executives.
The Netherlands rounded out the top five EU countries for women in employment. The country ranked high for female representation in the national government (53.6%) and national parliament (29%). While women make up a large proportion of seats at government and parliament level, men still tend to earn more on average in the Netherlands. According to the 2022 median net income, men earn 5.28% more than women in the country.
Belgium is home to the sixth most gender-equal workplaces in the EU. More than half (55%) of the seats in Belgium’s national government are held by women, the second-highest percentage of any nation in the study. The country’s female representation also remains high at parliament level as well, with females taking 42.9% of all seats. Belgium also has the 11th lowest gender pay gap in the EU, with the median net income of men 3.37% higher than women.
Denmark secured seventh place on the study of the best EU countries for women to work. The country ranked high due to having the 8th lowest gender pay gap in the EU (3.03%) and large proportion of women in senior roles across the nation. Precisely 44.1% of seats at Denmark’s national parliament are held by females, with only Sweden and Finland having a higher rate in the EU. The country also has the third-highest rate of female board members at its largest publicly listed companies (41.4%), just below France and Italy.
Spain, Germany, and Lithuania filled out the top 10 EU countries with the most gender-equal workplaces. Spain and Germany rated high for female representation at government and parliament level, while Lithuania claimed 10th place on the study thanks to the highest share of female executives of any EU nation.
Table: The EU countries with the most gender-equal workplaces
Olle Pettersson, finance expert and CEO of Finansvalp, commented on the study: “In the last 20 years, the number of women holding seats at national government and national parliament level in the EU has risen by over 50%, while the share of female board members at the largest publicly listed companies has exploded by 312%.
“If the trend of greater female representation continues in senior positions across the EU, we should hopefully see the gender pay gap reduce, making many countries more inclusive places for women to work.”
The full table of results can be accessed here.
Sources: Eurostat
Metinvest Mining and Metallurgical Group sold 55% of its steel and mining products in the European Union (EU) in January-June 2023.
According to the company’s presentation at the 15th J.P. Morgan Global Emerging Markets Corporate Conference, during this period, Metinvest sold 35% of its steel products in Ukraine, 2% in MENA, 1% in the CIS and 7% in other regions for a total of $2.423 billion.
In addition, the Group sold 28% of its iron ore products in Ukraine, 10% in Asia, and 7% in other regions for a total of $1.131 billion.
At the same time, in 1H2022, Metinvest sold 48% of its steel products in the EU (50% in 2H2022), 28% (35%) in Ukraine, 13% (4%) in MENA, 6% (1%) in the CIS and 5% (10%) in other regions for a total of $3.603 billion ($2.113 billion).
In addition, the company’s share of sales of iron ore products in the first half of 2022 in the EU amounted to 45% (60% in the second half of 2022), in Ukraine – 20% (27%), in Asia – 19% (2%), in other regions – 15% (11%) for a total of $1.669 billion ($903 million).
The presentation states that sales of steel products in 1H2023 decreased by 33% year-on-year, mainly due to a 54% and 56% decrease in pig iron and flat products production at Ukrainian steelmakers amid a lack of slab sales and a decline in average selling prices. This was partially offset by increased supplies of billets (up 3%) and long products (up 14%), as well as coke (up 10%), with higher resale volumes.
The positive six-month trend in 1H2023 compared to 2H2022 (up 15%) was driven by higher sales volumes of all products, including finished products (up 22%), semi-finished products (up 7%) and coke (up 18%).
At the same time, logistical challenges continued to shape the geography of sales.
Sales of iron ore products in 1H2023 decreased by 32% compared to 1H2022, mainly due to a 44% drop in iron ore prices and reduced supplies due to the blockade of Ukrainian Black Sea ports, as well as lower intragroup consumption and a drop in local demand. The results were also affected by the negative dynamics of prices for iron ore with an iron content of 62%. This was partially offset by an increase in sales of pellets and coking coal concentrate by 43% and 42%, respectively. This resulted in significant changes in regional revenue shares.
At the same time, compared to the second half of 2022, there was a positive trend (up 25%), primarily due to an increase in sales of all products, namely pellets (up 2.1 times), iron ore concentrate (up 56%) and coking coal concentrate (up 13%).
“Metinvest comprises mining and metallurgical enterprises located in Ukraine, Europe and the USA. Its major shareholders are SCM Group (71.24%) and Smart Holding (23.76%), which jointly manage it.
Metinvest Holding LLC is the management company of Metinvest Group.
France will hand over 100 drones ordered from drone manufacturer Delair to the Ukrainian Armed Forces this summer, Defense Minister Sebastian Le Coronneu said.
“As part of an innovative program, France has ordered 100 unmanned aerial vehicles from Delair, which will arrive in Ukraine this summer. A total of 2,000 remotely piloted vehicles will be purchased from our defense industry. For the needs of our army and Ukraine,” the minister wrote on social network X on Thursday, February 29.
Quotes of interbank currency market of Ukraine (UAH for $1, in 01.11.2023-30.11.2023)
Source: Open4Business.com.ua and experts.news
The blockade of a road on the Lithuanian-Polish border by farmers on March 1 may violate the European Union principle of free movement of goods and people, Lithuanian Economy and Innovation Minister Aušrine Armonaitė said, LRT writes.
“As far as I understand, the flow of people will not be stopped, but we are still members of the free European Union, where the movement of goods and people should be free. Any impediment to that movement has the potential to disrupt freedom of movement,” the minister said.
She noted that trucks at the border would be directed to additional parking lots for inspection, which could lead to queues.
A nationwide strike of farmers started in Poland on February 9. The main demands of the strikers are to adjust the “green” course of the European Commission, to limit the inflow of Ukrainian agricultural products to the Polish market, as well as to increase the profitability of agricultural production. During the protests, farmers block Ukrainian-Polish border crossings.
Since March 1, Polish farmers have been preparing for two new blockades – at the former Polish-German border crossing in Svec and on the road near the former Lithuanian-Polish border crossing “Kalwaria-Budzisko”. Farmers will check the contents of trucks, especially agricultural goods.
According to Ausris Macijauskas, chairman of the Lithuanian Grain Producers Association, Polish farmers’ suspicions that Ukrainian grain brought from Poland to Lithuania is being returned or processed and re-exported as Lithuanian goods are justified.
Via Baltica is a 970-kilometer section of European route E67 between Tallinn and Warsaw. It provides road links between the Baltic countries. E67 connects Helsinki (Finland) and Prague (Czech Republic).
The Suvalki Gap is a strip of land about 100 kilometers long on the Lithuanian-Polish border, which is wedged between the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad in the west and Belarus in the east.
Maciauskas said earlier that Lithuanian farmers for their part would not contribute to the Polish protest. According to him, the biggest problem of Lithuanian farmers is Russian grain.
