Ukraine 4M18 retail sales increase 7% yoy

Ukraine’s 4M18 retail sales in real terms increased
7.0% yoy compared to 7.6% yoy growth in 1Q18, Ukraine’s State Statistics
Service reported on May 21. In 4M17, retail sales grew 5.8% yoy.

Regionally, the highest growth occurred in the
Vinnytsia (11.1% yoy growth), Zakarpattia (9.2%) and Sumy (8.9%) regions, while
Rivne (2.6%), Chernivtsi (3.3%) and Zaporizhia (3.5%) were the slowest.

Evgeniya Akhtyrko: We don’t expect further slowing in retail sales this year. Amid the continuing growth of real
disposable income, the
consumption by Ukrainians will continue to grow at least to compensate their
thrifty consumer behavior during the economic collapse in 2014-15. We expect
real retail sales will maintain a growth rate of 7-8% yoy in 2018, while
private consumption will be the major contributor to economic growth.