- Highlight: Safeguards on Imported Cars - EXPECTED IMPACT OF SAFEGUARD MEASURES ON IMPORTED MOTOR CARS
- Politics: In early April the crisis in the Parliament reached its peak as pro-presidential majority adopted over 20 laws on a special session outside the Parliament’s premises.
- Real Sector: Drop in industrial output in February accelerated to 6.0% yoy as improvement in external demand was insufficient to lift export-oriented sectors.
- Energy sector: Ukraine considerably decreased imports of natural gas from Russia in the attempt to diversify its gas imports.
- Agriculture: Introduction of compulsory crop-rotation plans seems to be inefficient policy to address the problem of soil quality deterioration.
- External sector: Current account deficit in February shrank to USD 1.0 bn due to falling merchandise imports.
- Fiscal policy: Growing need to finance fiscal expenditures and debt redemption resulted in widening of central fiscal deficit to UAH 2.3 bn in February.
- Social policy: Real disposable income increased by 9.7% in 2012 primarily due to higher wages and social assistance.
- Labour market: Unemployment rate reached 8.0% of economically active population of age between 15-70 years old in the last quarter of 2012.
- Monetary policy: In March, CPI fell by 0.8% yoy due to fall in food prices.
- Financial markets: In March the Government increased placement of domestic state bonds due to higher fiscal expenditures and debt redemption.