• Azerbaijani companies are ready to invest in the southern Ukrainian Odesa region, Azerbaijan's Ambassador to Ukraine Azer Khudiyev said at a meeting with the chairman of the Odesa regional state administration, Maksym Stepanov, according to Azertag.

•Ukraine plans in the second half of 2017 to return to foreign capital markets as part of replacing IMF funding and financing from other international organizations with commercial borrowings, Finance Minister Oleksandr Danyliuk has said.

•Car production in Ukraine in January-March increased by 79 percent compared to the same period in 2016, to 1,121 cars, while all the cars were produced by PJSC Eurocar (Zakarpattia region), the Ukrautoprom association reported.

•Ukraine has launched a platform for the development of defense innovations, created on the basis of Israel's experience, the press ser vice of Ukroboronprom state concern has reported.

•The agricultural giant Nibulon, which owns the shipbuilding yard of the same name, intends to increase the number of ships built to 100 over the next four years, thus doubling its fleet in comparison with the existing figure, the company's press service reported.

•The Zmiivska thermal power plant, which is incorporated in the Centrenergo state energy-generating company, suspended operation to economize coal on April 6, 2017.

•Sugar exports from Ukraine since the start of the 2016/17 agricultural year (September-August) totaled 611,000 tons, the Ukrtsukor national association of sugar producers has said, Interfax-Ukraine reported.

•The National Bank of Ukraine has classified Finbank as insolvent after the bank's shareholders decided on liquidation of the financial institution on February 2, according to the NBU website. According to the results of the diagnostic survey, "Finbank" needed additional capitalization and provided the relevant program to the regulator. But, as of April 1, the promised measures were not implemented.

• A visa-free regime with the European Union for citizens of Ukraine will contribute to the development of the economy and entrepreneurship in Ukraine, according to David Stulik, spokesman for EU Mission to Ukraine. He noted that, among Ukrainians who visited EU countries last year, the largest number were entrepreneurs with 20%. Students ranked second with 17%.

•Ukraine in January-March 2017 exported electricity for $68.12 million, including $19.355 million in March alone, the State Fiscal Service reported.