SLOVENIA
Journalist organisations protest against layoffs at Delo
The Trade Union of Journalists and the Journalists' Association (DNS) issued a protest on Tuesday against the ongoing layoffs at Delo, the largest newspaper publisher in the country. The two organisations say the management is abusing social dialogue and demolishing the newspaper and Slovenian journalism. (STA)
Pošta plans further expansion in SE Europe, major investments
With the acquisition of the logistics company Intereuropa finalised, the national postal operator Pošta Slovenije plans to further expand on the markets of the Southeast Europe and make EUR 195 million in investments in the next six years. (STA)
Petrol acquires major power retailer in western Slovenia
The business newspaper Finance has reported that the energy company Petrol has acquired E3, the subsidiary of the power distributor Elektro Primorska which is one of the largest electricity sellers in the country. The acquisition brings Petrol's share on the electricity retail market up to 20%.
INTERNATIONAL MARKETS
European stocks close higher as traders monitor coronavirus
U.S. markets were closed Monday for the President’s Day federal holiday. European stocks closed higher Monday after China’s central bank cut interest rates in a bid to aid its economy amid the coronavirus outbreak. The pan-European Stoxx 600 closed provisionally up more than 0.3% after hitting a record high earlier in the session. Autos climbed 1.2% to lead gains while tech stocks bucked the risk-on trend to fall 0.3%.
Corporate earnings remain in focus. French auto parts maker Faurecia said market conditions would be tough in 2020 despite reporting a rise in full-year net profit and sales on Monday morning.
Semiconductor stocks tumbled, with STMicro, ASMI, AMS and Dialog Semiconductor all falling more than 2.5%. It comes after Reuters reported Monday afternoon, citing sources, that proposed manufacturing equipment limits could impact the semiconductor industry beyond China.
Source: CNBC
SERBIA
Serbia considering issuing yuan-denominated securities
Serbia is considering issuing financial instruments denominated in the Chinese yuan for the financing of the public debt, stated Serbian Finance Minister Sinisa Mali, as reported by Indikator.ba. The government is considering issuing green bonds in the local or international market in 2021 and yuan-denominated securities in the upcoming years, Mali said. In turn, Serbia's bonds denominated in the local currency could be included in the J.P. Morgan Government Bond Index – Emerging Markets (GBI-EM) within two months of being included on the monitoring list, Mali said.
Source: Ekapija
Expansion of terminal planned at Nikola Tesla Airport – Inserted runway, hotel, shopping center, BG Voz underground station... to be built
According to the Detailed Regulation Plan for the Nikola Tesla Airport, the construction of another inserted runway, as well as a hypermarket, outlet and retail parks, a hotel and a congress-business center, is planned. An underground railway station is also planned within the complex. The initiative for the preparation of the Plan was launched by AD Aerodrom Nikola Tesla Beograd. For the part of the plan pertaining to the existing complex of the airport, based on the strategy of development which defines the reconstruction of the runway and the implementation of an inserted runway by 2043, the concessionaire and operator of the Nikola Tesla Airport, VINCI Airports Serbia (Belgrade Airport doo Beograd) has prepared a spatial-program solution defining development through construction and reconstruction, maintenance and management of the infrastructure of the existing airport complex.
Source: Ekapija
MAT: Focus to shift to quality of investments
For a second consecutive year, investments in Serbia grew in 2019 at a rate that was nearly four times higher than the GDP growth rate, which means that, in case we did not last year, we will reach the optimal GDP structure this year, says Ivan Nikolic from the Institute of Economics. At last week's presentation of the new issue of the MAT monthly at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia, Nikolic said capital expenditures had reached an optimal level of almost 5 pct of GDP. Industrial output rose 0.3 pct last year and recovered significantly last December, he noted. The taxes imposed by the Pristina administration impacted the industrial output, in particular the food industry, and there was also recession pressure from EU member states and the eurozone, especially from Germany and Italy, whose industrial activity declined, he noted.
Source: Tanjug
