• The International Monetary Fund, has completed the third review of its cooperation program with Ukraine and approved the allocation to Ukraine of the fourth loan tranche worth $1 billion, UNIAN reported. "The Executive Board of the IMF decided to allocate $1 billion to Ukraine. This is another recognition of Ukrainian reforms!" Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko on his Facebook page.

• The Government of Ukraine intends to sell 3,500 the state-owned enterprises of no strategic importance to the country, Ukrinform reported.

• The state budget of Ukraine in January-March saw $6.664 billion revenue, which is 13.8% more than expected, UNIAN reported. Compared with the same period last year, the state budget revenues in January-March increased by 39.6%.

• Germany’s KfW bank will provide EUR 300 million to Ukraine to support financing of small and medium-sized enterprises in the country, Interfax-Ukraine reported. The agreement will be signed by the National Bank of Ukraine, Finance Ministry of Ukraine and KfW in Kyiv on April 4.

• Ukraine more than triples cranberry, blueberry exports in 2016. Ukrainian agri-businesses exported 2,900 tons of cranberries and blueberries last year, which was 3.3 times more than in 2015, UNIAN reported.

• Ukraine can import 2.5 million tons of anthracite coal from the United States per year, or half of its needs. Ukrainian Energy and Coal Industry Minister Ihor Nasalyk told journalists, Ukrinform reported.

• JSC Ukrhydroenergo doubled its net profit in 2016, compared to 2015. According to a company report posted on the website of the Ministry of Energy and Coal Industry, its net income last year increased by 34.2%, to $222 million, gross profit by 47.9%, to $123 million.

• Car sales in Ukraine grew by 35% in three months, boosted by strong sales in March, Interfax-Ukraine reported. Sales of new cars in March 2017 increased by 43% compared to March 2016, to almost 7,000 cars.

• Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman has said that the draft medium-term action plan until 2020 foresees the provision of GDP growth by 4-5% every year, Interfax-Ukraine reported. He said Ukraine must shift from a raw material exporting economy.

• Ukraine saw a 20% rise in gas transit in Jan-March, Interfax-Ukraine reported. Ukraine in January-March 2017 increased transit of natural gas through its gas transportation system by 19.8% (3.826 billion cubic meters), compared to January-March 2016, for a first quarter total of 23.188 billion cubic meters.

For comments and news tips, please email UBJ AM editor Andrew Sweeney at andrew.sweeney@theubj.com