• China is ready to introduce a visa-free regime with Ukraine. Chinese Ambassador to Ukraine Du Wei said this at a press conference on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the countries.

• The Chinese state-owned Huangfanqu Farm entered into a joint venture called Fanda with a Ukrainian partner and has already invested more than $10 million in the development of farming in the small town of Koryukovka in Ukraine’s northeastern Chernigiv region, Xinhua reported.

• In a sign of greater economic activity and spending, Nova Poshta Group made over 31 million deliveries in January-March, 32 percent more than the same quarter last year, the company reported.

• Ukrtransnafta in 2016 saw an 11.7% rise in net profit compared to 2015, to $56.8 million, the company reported.

• Ukraine could place its first Eurobonds since the 2013-2014 Revolution of Dignity, Finance Minister Oleksandr Danyliuk has told reporters in Washington. The bonds could be placed in September or October.

• The National Bank of Ukraine believes that the country’s economic growth will gradually speed up in 2018-2019 after a temporary slowdown this year, the NBU press service reported.

• Industrial production in March decreased by 2.7% compared to the same month in 2016, the State Statistics Service reported.

• Ukraine's corn exports could hit a record, UkrAgroConsult forecast. The analysis group raised its forecast for Ukraine's corn exports in 2017-18 to 20 million metric tons.

• Agricultural sector will become more attractive to investors due to land sales and other economic reforms planned by the government, top executives at grain producer AgroGeneration said Friday.

• Energy Resources of Ukraine group is interested in participating in a new tender for the privatization of Odesa Port-Side Chemical Plant, said co-owner Andriy Favorov, Interfax-Ukraine reported.

For comments and news tips, please email UBJ AM editor Vitalii Dubenskyi at vitalii.dubenskyi@theubj.com.