Daily Insight-Hryvnia holds steady, stocks up, March industrial growth in focus

On Friday, the hryvnia remained steady on the Ukrainian FX market, with, according to UkrDealing, trading opening at 7.915-7.925/USD, the same rate it has held since last Tuesday, and closing at the same rate, with the strongest point reached during the day of 7.90/7.9253. The NBU again bought dollars at the rate of 7.925/USD. The NBU raised its official exchange rate for the hryvnia to 7.9258/USD for Friday. The hryvnia appreciated on the cash FX market, trading at 7.8666/USD for bid offers at the domestic interchange stations, and 7.9184/USD on ask offers. Ukraine\'s stock markets continued moving up on Friday, with the PFTS index rising 1.22%, to end the day at 1,012.96 points, and the UX stock exchange up 0.93%, to 2,561.28 points. Total turnover on the PFTS was up from Thursday\'s level, at US$50.8m (UAH402.8m), which comprised equity trading (3.71% of the total), state bonds (95.92%), and corporate bonds (0.67%). The total amount of securities traded on the UX stock exchange was also up from Thursday\'s level, at US$12.3m (UAH97.6m).