Daily monitor

On March 31, Zaporizhtransformator [ZATR UZ, N/R] – the world's largest manufacturer of transformer equipment – held its AGM in Zaporizhya. According to the company’s information, ZATR ended 2008 with net sales of UAH 3.323 mln (USD 627 mln at exchange rate of USD/UAH 5.3), which is up by 60% in comparison with 2007.

According to Petro Poroshenko, the Head of the NBU Council, Raiffeisen Bank Aval [BAVL UZ, U/R] has received UAH 1 bln in refinancing for the purpose of providing loans to Ukrainian agricultural enterprises.

On March 26, the National Communication Regulation Committee (NCRC) of Ukraine reviewed the current interconnect fee between fixed line and mobile operators.

According to the State Statistics Committee of Ukraine, domestic agricultural companies (excluding small-scale enterprises) increased their PBT (profit before tax) by 25% YoY to USD 0.73 bln in 2008.

As Sokrat previously reported, Ukrsibbank is the one of the first five banks that will be receiving funding from the EBRD. Yesterday, Serhiy Naumov, the Chairman of the Board of Ukrsibbank, announced that the bank intends to attract USD 100 mln on the terms of subordinated loan from the EBRD in May. Due diligence shall commence on April 1.

Kryukiv Railcar [KVBZ UZ, U/R] has announced the cancellation of its recent decision regarding the suspension of production activities, a decision that was taken upon receiving an order from Russia for production of 1,000 grain cars.

According to COCERAL, the national grain trade organization involving most of the European Union’s 27 member states, the estimated harvest for the EU-27 will total 286.4 mln mt of grain in the 2009/10 marketing year.

According from data from the State Statistics Committee, as of March 1, wage arrears had reached UAH 1.64 bln (USD 213 mln), a UAH 0.11 bln (USD 14.2 mln) increase, compared to February 2009.

On March 27, Motor Sich [MSICH UZ, BUY] held its AGM in Zaporizhya, at which time it was revealed that the company ended 2008 with net sales of UAH 2.47 bln (USD 466 mln), which is up by 17%; however, net income dropped by 56 times to UAH 3.8 mln (USD 0.72 mln) in comparison with 2007.

The State Statistics Committee has released disappointing data on salaries in Ukraine in February 2009.