Ukraine’s 11M18 retail sales increased 6.2% yoy in
real terms, speeding up from 5.4% growth in 10M18, Ukraine’s State Statistics
Service reported on Dec. 20. In November, real retail sales picked up 5.6% yoy
and 1.2% m/m in real terms.
Regionally, the highest 11M18 retail growth occurred
in the Ukraine-controlled Luhansk and Donetsk (27.8% yoy and 14.7% yoy respectively)
and Poltava (12.4%) regions. It was slowest in the Khmelnytskiy (1.1%),
Kharkiv and (1.6%) and Kirovohrad (1.8%) regions.
Evgeniya Akhtyrko: We expect real retail sales will grow 6-7% yoy in 2018. Amid very weak
industrial growth and an uneven agricultural performance, this relatively fast
growth helps to maintain overall economic growth at decent levels.