Foreigners who committed illegal actions should be expelled from the republic, state officials opined during a meeting of the Interdepartmental Commission on legislative activity.

"It was decided that expulsion should be both the main and an additional type of punishment. That is, if a foreigner has committed an offense, he will...

75% of all comments and suggestions from the business to improve the business environment, developed by the Atameken National Chamber of Entrepreneurs, are included in the bills and regulatory legal acts in force in Kazakhstan.

“Together with Atameken, entrepreneurs got the opportunity to improve and develop laws. All bills and regulatory...

Due to lack of social facilities, more than 100 rural settlements in Kazakhstan can be liquidated in the near future, Kazpravda.kz correspondent quotes Vice-Minister of National Economy of Kazakhstan Yermek Alpysov, as saying at the press conference in the Central Communications Service.

"More than a hundred rural settlements may be eliminated,...

Governor of Karaganda region Yerlan Koshanov has met with observers of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights Martin Rossman and Camille Forite.

The international observers will work in the region until the very day of the presidential election to monitor readiness of polling stations and observe the electoral...

Members of the republican election campaign headquarters of Nur Otan Party's candidate Kassym-Jomart Tokayev visited Makhambet district, Atyrau region.

The members of the headquarters presented the election program of presidential candidate Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. Deputies of the Kazakh Majilis, local activists also addressed the locals gathered at the stadium.

By Kazinform.

Presidential candidate nominated by the Ak Zhol Political Party Daniya Yespayeva and members of her election campaign headquarters visited Shortandy district of Akmola region.

As part of the visit, Yespayeva and her team surveyed the work of the local grain farming center named after Aleksandr Barayev and its recent achievements. Afterwards,...

President of Kazakhstan-Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev took part in the extended meeting of the Defense Ministry Board.

Head of the Presidential Administration Bakytzhan Sagintayev, Assistant to President-Security Council Secretary Kalmukhanbet Kassymov, 1st Deputy Prime-Minister-Finance Minister Alikhan Smailov, National Economy Minister Ruslan Dalenov...

Kazakh Senate Speaker Dariga Nazarbayeva met with Mikhail Gusman, 1st Deputy Director General of TASS News Agency.

The sides focused on discussions held during the session themed "Deglobalization: world in search of new development models". Gusman noted personal contribution of Dariga Nazarbayeva into the development of the Eurasian Media Forum, being...

Tashkent hosted a briefing on the presidential elections of Kazakhstan.

Kazakh Ambassador to Uzbekistan Darkhan Satybaldy briefed on the forthcoming presidential elections of Kazakhstan and progress of preparations. As stated there, about 1,000 international observers from foreign countries and international organizations are expected to arrive in Kazakhstan to monitor the elections.

"The...

On May 23 the Head of State, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, has received the Chairman of the Writers' Union of Kazakhstan.

At the meeting, the interlocutors discussed the present trends in Kazakhstan's contemporary literature. The President was informed about the current activities and plans of the Writers' Union. Ulykbek Yesdaulet also spoke about...

The XVI Eurasian Media Forum themed "The World Today: Transforming Reality?" has begun in Almaty on May 23.

"Dear forum participants, I sincerely welcome another regular media forum. This platform, where the journalistic community exchanges views on a wide range of the most topical issues, emerged more than a decade and...

In Kazakhstan, a massive birth of saigas has begun. Experts ask the hunters to be careful.

According to the information, the weight of saiga babies at birth does not exceed three kilograms. In the first few days after their birth, they lie motionless, merging in colour with the background of the...

Kazakh small and medium sized businesses (SMEs) generated more than 28 trillion tenge (US$73.8 billion) in 2018, said Vice Minister of National Economy Yermek Alpysov at a May 22 press briefing.

The number of SMEs also grew 8.3 percent to 1,241,328 compared to 2017, with the most in Almaty, the capital...

The National Welfare Fund Samruk-Kazyna JSC and the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of the Population of Kazakhstan signed a memorandum on the implementation of social initiatives.

"The memorandum provides for cooperation in creating favorable conditions for children from low-income and large families, from families in difficult life situations, senior...

In the first four months of this year, the total amount of income of insurance companies reached 133.2 billion tenge, with an increase by 25.8% on-year. In the same period last year, revenues amounted to 105.9 billion tenge, with an annual growth by 17.3%.

The income of insurance companies is basically...

Over the past seven-day period, the cryptocurrency market has experienced several significant stages of decline and growth. The maximum market capitalisation was recorded on Thursday, May 16, and amounted to $263 billion. The minimum was the next day, when the total value of all cryptocurrencies dropped to $221 billion. The...

The Committee on Foreign Currency Market has been established in Kazakhstan on May 22, the KASE reported. The committee is created to collect information and analyse the situation on the foreign exchange market. Its work will be focused on a regular review of the balance of supply and demand.

"On May...

"Dual listing on the Kazakhstan Stock Exchange and the Astana International Financial Centre Stock Exchange leads to a loss of liquidity, so it should be avoided," Kairat Aytekenov, first deputy chairman of the board of the Astana International Financial Centre administration, said.

“Our message and recommendation is still to avoid double...

The Central Bank of Uzbekistan has issued a license to the subsidiary of Halyk Bank, Tenge Bank, for banking operations in the country.

"The Board of the Central Bank of Uzbekistan has decided to issue a license for the right to conduct banking operations to Tenge Bank," the report said.

In September...

The National Bank does not intend to introduce regulation of the tariff policy and the activities of private payment system operators. The supervisory authority explained that pricing should be carried out on market terms.

"Commissions in Kazakhstan are set by banks on a competitive basis. As international experience shows, administrative intervention...

Head of the Astana International Financial Centre Kairat Kelimbetov told on the sidelines of the XVI Eurasian Media Forum about the results achieved and his interest in the Almaty event.

"In addition to the exchange, we have created special institutions, such as the court of the Astana IFC, the work of...

Internal and external currency value factors including oil prices, foreign investments and international reserves indicate that the tenge will become stronger, the Kazakh National Bank has announced.

“Fundamental drivers of the exchange rate add up favourably. So, since the beginning of the year, oil prices have risen from $54 to $70...

Based on results of trades on the spot-market:

- weighted average US dollar rate with settlements T+1 in tenge (USDKZT_TOМ) made up KZT378.09 per US dollar at the trades volume of USD62,327 th.;

- on US dollar with settlements Т+0 and T+2 in tenge no deals were made; at the session close...

The dollar hit its highest level in two years and the yen rose half a percent on Thursday as economic and political uncertainties swept through Europe and Asia, pinning down the euro and the yuan.

Worries over German manufacturing, the impact of a trade war on Asian economies and deepening concerns...

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has received CEO of JSC NC KazMunayGas Alik Aidarbayev.

The Head of State was informed about the results of the company's activity in January-April 2019 and plans for the nearest outlook. Alik Aidarbayev  reported to Kassym-Jomart Tokayev about the implementation of the major investment projects and preparation of...

The President of Kazakhstan, Kasym-Zhomart Tokayev, received the Chairman of the Board of the KazMunaiGas National Company, Alik Aidarbayev. During the meeting, the President was informed about the main results of the activities of the national company for the four months of 2019 and plans for the near future, the...

Alexander Lukashenko informed Yermukhamet Yertysbayev that Belarus plans to diversify oil supplies. He noted that after the completion of the modernisation of the refinery, it will be easier to buy oil on world markets.

“In this regard, we are already conducting negotiations on the supply of Kazakh oil to Belarus, and...

NOVATEK's 3rd large-tonnage project for the production of liquefied natural gas acquires specific features.

But it cannot be called a large-tonnage.

This is reflected in the presentation of NOVATEK.

The project involves the construction of 3 TRAIN production lines with a capacity of 1.6 million tonnes/year of LNG, the Prime reported. Thus, the...

A 30-40 cm high water and gas intrusion was detected at the Kalamkas oil field in Kazakhstan's Mangystau region.

The intrusion was detected near second oil and gas production workshop, which belongs to Mangistaumunaigaz. The intrusion is situated 35 meters away from the № 8237 wellhead.

The message about the intrusion was...

Kazakhstan’s benchmark Urals crude’s differentials in northwest Europe against dated Brent eased again on Thursday as market participants awaited ample exports via Baltic ports in June.

The full Urals preliminary loading plan for next month is expected to be released on Friday.

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak and his Belarusian counterpart...

Oil prices dropped on Thursday, extending falls from the previous session as trade tensions dampened the demand outlook, putting the main benchmarks on course for their biggest daily and weekly falls in six months.

World shares were deep in the red as concerns grew the China-U.S. trade conflict was fast turning...

The Chelyabinsk Metallurgical Plant, which buys most of Kazakhstan’s zinc ore and half-fabricates, manufactured 750 tonnes of fittings for the construction of a new gas turbine power plant in Tatarstan.

The station with a total capacity of 495 MW is being built in the industrial area of Nizhnekamsk. The main fuel...

Russia’s metallurgist NLMP opened a book of applications for 7-year Eurobonds worth $500 million, a source in banking circles told.

According to the source, the benchmark yield of securities maturing in May 2026 is 5-5.125% per annum.

Since May 16, the company has held meetings with investors in the US cities, as...

The Magnitogorsk Metallurgical Plant and a subsidiary of the German concern Siemens AG, Siemens, signed an agreement for the supply of electrical equipment for a period of three years.

The joint work of the companies will be organised through the online shop of Siemens, Industry Mall. In it, with the help...

Gold prices firmed on Thursday, supported by a slide in equity markets amid fresh trade tensions, but a strong dollar kept a lid on gains as investors flocked to the safe-haven U.S. currency.

Spot gold was up 0.4% at $1,278.32 per ounce by 1213 GMT, after falling to its lowest since...

Copper prices in both London and Shanghai fell to their multi-month lows on Thursday amid an unresolved Sino-U.S. trade tension and after Chinese President Xi Jinping warned of difficult times ahead.

The U.S. is considering Huawei-like sanctions on Chinese video surveillance firm Hikvision over the country’s treatment of its Uighur Muslim...

The construction of a fuel assembly plant in the East Kazakhstan region is estimated at around 49 billion tenge. According to the ministry’s information, 30% of this amount is own funds, 70% is borrowed.

"The capacity of the enterprise for the production of finished products will be 200 tonnes of nuclear...

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is reviewing a request for a loan for the development and construction of a 10-MW solar photovoltaic (PV) farm in southern Kazakhstan.

The total cost of the project is USD 10 million, and the bank is considering whether to extend a limited recourse...

The volume of production in the mechanical engineering industry in terms of value for 2018 amounted to more than 1 trillion tenge, 17.5% more than in 2017. Data for 2018 are operational and may differ from the adjusted annual. For the calculation of growth, operational data for January – December...

The volume of production in the mechanical engineering industry in terms of value for 2018 amounted to more than 1 trillion tenge, 17.5% more than in 2017. Data for 2018 are operational and may differ from the adjusted annual. For the calculation of growth, operational data for January – December...

In Kazakhstan, every fourth worker works in hazardous conditions, Kazpravda.kz correspondent quotes the Minister of Labor and Social Protection of the Population of Kazakhstan, Berdibek Saparbayev, as saying at the IX Kazakhstan International Conference KIOSH-2019 (Kazakhstan International Occupational Safety and Health conference.

"In Kazakhstan, about 373 thousand workers at present are...

US meat giant Tyson Foods is said to be planning to set up a beef processing plant in Kazakhstan.

The UK's Financial Times newspaper reported today (23 May) Tyson in talks with the authorities in Kazakhstan and has discussed an initial investment of US$200m on the project.

But the newspaper suggested that it is...

The Kazakh-Chinese JV International Company of Cotton plans to start industrial cotton production in the Turkestan region, the press service of the regional head reported. An agricultural production cooperative is being created in the Baiyrkum rural district of the Turkestan region. "Cotton will be grown there, 8 tonnes per hectare....

In recent days, the pace of spring field work in the Pavlodar region has sharply increased, which means that the sown field has entered its main phase and almost all the planned machinery has been brought to the fields.

The closure of moisture, spring ploughing, and pre-sowing tillage were fully completed....

Aidarbek Saparov, the First Vice-Minister of Agriculture of Kazakhstan, held a meeting with the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of New Zealand to Kazakhstan, Mr. Ian Hill, the press service of the Ministry of Agriculture of Kazakhstan reported.

During the meeting, the parties discussed the current policy of Kazakhstan in the field...

From 13 to 17 May 2019, the cost of wheat of the 3rd grade on the basis of delivery of CPT in Kazakhstan as a result of bidding in the double counter anonymous auction remained at the level of 65,000 tenge, the press service of the ETS exchange reported. In...

Chicago corn futures edged higher on Thursday and wheat rebounded as heavy rain in U.S. grain belts continued to pose risks to crops. Price movements were moderate, however, with corn and wheat holding below multi-month highs struck earlier this week.

Investors sought more indications about the impact of excess moisture on...

In January – April of this year, the revenues of companies in the telecommunications market increased by 5.5% yoy and reached 252.2 billion tenge. In the same period last year, the amount of revenue amounted to 239.1 billion tenge, with an increase by 6.7% on-year.

The decline in income by 2.7%...

Introducing 5G will be a key driver of productivity in Kazakhstan and other marketplaces, said Mikko Lavanti, Nokia vice president for the Central East Europe and Central Asia market unit, in an exclusive interview with The Astana Times.

Nokia and Kazakhtelecom hosted a 5G demonstration corner at the May 16-17 Astana...

Kazakh officials say e-commerce friendly legislation and increased agricultural sales have the potential to push e-commerce sales in Kazakhstan to 15 million buyers annually by 2025.

E-commerce sales in Kazakhstan increased 1.5 times in 2018 over 2017 to $707.4 million and the number of buyers doubled over 2017 to 2.3 million...

Kar-Tel, working under the Beeline Kazakhstan brand, has modified the line-up of channels under its BeeTV service. Local TV channels Qazspor, Balapan, Qazaqstan and Tamasha tv have been added to the line-up.  

TRT Turk, TV5 Monde, Аlau TV and RTVI channels will be eliminated because copyright holders have decided to stop...

Tele2 finalised plans to sell its Kazakhstan joint venture stake to partner Kazakhtelecom for a net total of $169 million, with the Swedish group also receiving a $210 million loan repayment from the operation.

The sale total comprises the proceeds Tele2 will receive from the sale after the deduction of an...

Facing unstability and uncertainty in the world, the members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) should boost all-round cooperation to promote regional stability and prosperity, said Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi here on Wednesday.

Since the SCO Qingdao Summit last year, the member states have made steady progress...

As tours to the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region have become increasingly popular among tourists from home and abroad, local authorities have announced a plan recently to launch as many as 100 special trains for tourists from May to October.

The local railway authorities will step up cooperation with other parts of...

Chinese stocks closed lower on Thursday, with the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index down 1.35 percent, at 2,852.52 points.

The Shenzhen Component Index closed 2.56 percent lower at 8,809.53 points.

The ChiNext Index, China's NASDAQ-style board of growth enterprises, lost 2.51 percent to close at 1,451.24 points Thursday.

The ChiNext Index, together with the...

The central parity rate of the Chinese currency renminbi, or the yuan, weakened 2 basis points to 6.8994 against the U.S. dollar Thursday, according to the China Foreign Exchange Trade System.

In China's spot foreign exchange market, the yuan is allowed to rise or fall by 2 percent from the central...

The Russian rouble edged down in early trading on Thursday, hurt by global investor fears over Brexit and the US-China trade row despite support from end-of-month tax payments and strong foreign demand for local treasury bonds.

At 0748 GMT, the rouble was 0.12pc weaker against the dollar at 64.47 while it...

Russia’s gold and foreign currency reserves stand at a comfortable level and have almost reached the $500 bln target, Central Bank Chief Elvira Nabiullina said on Thursday.

"Last year reserves rose from $433 bln to $469 bln, as of May 1 they equaled $491 bln. Reserves are on the rise due...

The Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation increased the forecast of grain exports in the current season to 44 mln tonnes, as opposed to the previous forecast of 42 mln tonnes, declared the Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Oksana Luth on May 23.

At the same time, the estimations of wheat...

Azerbaijan’s only oil refinery plans to import 110,000 tonnes of A-92 petrol in October while it halts production for a month for routine maintenance, state energy company SOCAR’s vice president told Reuters on Thursday. The refinery, which is owned by SOCAR, will halt production from Oct 1. The company’s petrochemicals...

Date: May 24, 2019; Source: Bloomberg.com

Energy

Precious and Industrial Metals

Agriculture

Date: May 24, 2019; Source: the National Bank of Kazakhstan