Ukrainian solvent banks in 2018 saw UAH 21.7 billion of net profit compared with UAH 26.5 billion of net loss a year ago, according to a posting on the website of the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU). According to the central bank, the recovery of the profitability of the banking system has become possible thanks to the reduction of sending funds to reserves with a steady increase in interest and commission fee income.
“The amount of payments to reserves more than halved, to UAH 23.7 billion in 2018 from UAH 49.2 billion in 2017. At the same time, the net interest and commission fee income of the banking system increased by an average of 38%,” the NBU said.
At the same time, the National Bank said that the main interest income, as before, is generated by corporate loans – 46% of the total amount, while investment in securities provided 27% of interest income, and retail loans – 26%.
Commission fee incomes increased against the background of the development of cash settlement and other related lending payments, to 25% in the structure of all revenues.
“After 2014-2017 unprofitable for the banking system, profit of banks in 2018 is the largest on the historical horizon. It became possible thanks to the intensification of lending, primarily retail in national currency, which increased by more than 30%. In addition, the decline in interest rates on deposits of individuals during most of the year and a significant reduction in allocations to reserves contributed to profitability of the banking sector. We expect that the year 2019 will also be successful as lending will continue growing,” First Deputy NBU Governor Kateryna Rozhkova said.
The NBU also reported that out of 77 banks operating on January 1, 2019, 64 banks posted UAH 34.4 billion of net profit. At the end of 2017, 64 out of 82 banks operating at that time were profitable.
The most profitable in 2018 were banks with foreign capital (UAH 15 billion profit for the year) and PrivatBank (UAH 11.7 billion). The main loss was generated by banks with public Russian capital (a UAH 11 billion loss).
According to the National Bank, the last time the banking system was profitable in 2013, when its profit amounted to UAH 1.4 billion. Then, in 2014, Ukrainian banks saw a net loss of UAH 33.1 billion, in 2015 a net loss of UAH 66.6 billion, in 2016 a net loss of UAH 159.4 billion and in 2017 UAH 26.5 billion.
Kyiv-based Boryspil International Airport, the country’s largest airport, in January 2019 boosted passenger traffic by 14%, to 897,200 people compared with January 2017, the airport’s press service told Interfax-Ukraine. In January 2019, some 766,300 passengers handled by Boryspil Airport flew by regular flights (an increase by 21%) and 130,900 passengers travelled by charter flights (a decline by 17%).
In January 2019, the share of transfer passengers grew by 12% of the airport’s total passenger traffic, to 235,820 people.
As reported, the airport in 2018 handled 12.6 million passengers, or 19% up on 2017. In 2019, its passenger traffic is expected to grow by 14%. According to the airport’s management, the projected decrease in passenger traffic growth rates is associated with an increase in the absolute number of passengers.
Boryspil International Airport is the main airport of Ukraine, occupying a total area of about 1,000 ha. The airport has two runways: one with a length of 4,000 meters and a width of 60 meters, and the second with a length of 3,500 meters and a width of 63 meters. Four passenger terminals, postal and cargo handling complexes are located on the territory of the airport.
It services Ryanair flights to and from Ukraine along with Lviv’s Danylo Halytsky Airport.
One troy ounce=31.10 grams
Ukrainian enterprises increased imports of copper and copper products in terms of money by 51.8% in January 2019 compared with January 2018, to $8.22 million. Exports of copper and copper products decreased 57.5% over the year to $6.278 million, according to customs statistics released by the State Fiscal Service of Ukraine.
In December, copper and copper products were imported to the tune of $10,327 million, and copper exports were estimated at $7.130 million.
In addition, Ukraine in January 2019 boosted imports of nickel and products made of it by 55.9%, to $9.235 million (imports in December were estimated at $4.566 million), while imports of aluminum and products made of it fell by 2.8%, to $23.378 million ($33.745 million). Imports of, lead and products made of it rose by 5.1-fold, to $1.074 million ($1.195 million) and imports of zinc and zinc goods decreased 67.8%, to $112,000 ($378,000). At the same time, imports of tin and products made of it decreased 46.3%, to $3.674 million ($4.302 million).
Exports of aluminum and products made of it decreased 34.1% in January 2019, to $6.623 million ($7.902 million in December alone), while shipments of lead abroad decreased 62.4%, to $1.395 million ($1.773 million). Exports of nickel fell by 4.4%, to $175,000 ($541,000 in December).
Zinc exports in January 2019 amounted to $39,000 (some $28,000 in December 2018) compared to $7,000 in January 2018.
Exports of tin and products made of it in January 2019 were estimated at $3,000 (some $1,000 in December) compared to no exports in January 2018.
