News: Wednesday, May 16, 2012 -- Issue 1517 
Article of the Day
Lukashenko, Nazarbayev meet in Belovezhskaya Pushcha
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and President Nursultan Nazarbayev met informally at Belovezhskaya Pushcha in Minsk on 12-13 May, BelTA learned from the Belarusian presidential Press Office.
The day before the official part of Nazarbayev's visit to Belarus, the two leaders held informal talks in the Belovezhskaya Pushcha.
Alexander Lukashenko received his Kazakhstani counterpart at his residence Viskuli. "The two heads of state had a warm conversation, took a walk to see landmarks and protected sites of the national park," the statement said.
It was noted that Belarus' unique natural potential, its reserves and national parks are a solid foundation for developing cooperation in tourism and ecological rehabilitation, Kazinform learned from BelTA.
The two presidents discussed a wide range of bilateral issues on the eve of the official talks in Minsk.
The agenda for the official visit includes a meeting with Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko where the heads of state will discuss prospects for all-round cooperation for the two countries, investment and trade relations between Belarus and Kazakhstan as well as within the Single Economic Space.
The presidents intend to discuss the economic cooperation program for 2009-2016, large joint projects in industry and other areas of cooperation, namely energy, transport and logistics, education, science and culture, as well as agriculture.
They plan to share opinions on a large number of issues on the international agenda, cooperation in various integration associations and international organizations, regional security issues in the CSTO.
The two sides are expected to sign a number of documents to lay a foundation for further development of interstate relations, Gazeta.kz states.
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Kazakhstan General
Kazakhstan's population rises 0.4 percent over three months
By D. Mukhtarov
As of April 1, 2012, Kazakhstan’s population hit 16.74 million people, the State Statistics Agency reports.
“The country’s population was 16.73 million people, including an ...
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Minsk, Astana to cooperate vs using human rights for political purposes
Belarusian and Kazakhstan have agreed to jointly counter attempts to use human rights issues for exerting political pressure, the Belarusian president's press office said while summarizing ...
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CSTO leaders adopt final declaration
CSTO Leaders adopted final Declaration
"The Heads of State of the CSTO member countries discussed further strengthening collective security measures," President Nursultan Nazarbayev told an expanded session ...
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Oil and Gas Sector
KazMunaiGas EP profit up in Q1 on high oil price
Kazakh oil producer KazMunaiGas Exploration Production said on Tuesday net profit rose 27 percent year-on-year in the first quarter of 2012 due mainly to higher oil ...
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Activists occupy Almaty street with Zhanaozen photos
By Joanna Lillis
A quiet residential street in Almaty got an up-close look at death and destruction on May 15: It was adorned with a collection of ...
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CPC June export program set at 2.4 million tons
By Sarah Kent
Crude oil exports through the Caspian Pipeline Consortium, or CPC, are scheduled at 586,156 barrels a day in June, according to a provisional loading ...
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SINOPEC LPEC selects AEG power solutions for Atyrau Refinery Project
AEG Power Solutions announced today that its Chinese subsidiary has signed a contract with SINOPEC LPEC (Luoyang Petrochemical Engineering Company) to provide all power supply equipment ...
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Finance and Investment
Samruk to consider exiting BTA following 2nd debt restructuring
Samruk Kazyna Sovereign Wealth Fund will consider exiting the BTA Bank’s ownership structure after the second debt restructuring has been finalized, the Fund’s Director for Financial ...
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Kazakhstan bad-Loan Fund Insufficient to Mend Banks, Fitch Says
By Nariman Gizitdinov
The Kazakh central bank’s problem- loan fund may provide only “marginal” relief to asset quality and will be challenging to implement, Fitch Ratings said.
“Without ...
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Astana Islamic conference to address global environmental issues
Astana is hosting the fifth Islamic Conference of Environment Ministers on May 17-18 under the aegis of the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO), Kazakh ...
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Kazakhstan’s GDP at 5.6% in Jan-March 2012
“Kazakhstan’s GDP reached 5.6% volume for January - March 2012,” Director of the Kazakh Statistics Agency Alihan Smailov told a briefing.
“Real GDP increased by 5.6% compared ...
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AEF to host discussion on global economic challenges, prospects
Kazakhstan's capital will host the 5th Astana Economic Forum (AEF) on 22-24 May 2012.
The event will convene distinguished politicians, leading experts, and scholars from all ...
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Metals and Minerals
ArcelorMittal Kazakh unit slows output after fire
By Robin Paxton
ArcelorMittal has reduced production at the main steelmaking unit of its plant in Kazakhstan after a fire on Tuesday killed two people, the company's ...
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Astana to launch gold refinery construction for KZT 4.5 billion
A construction project for a new oil refinery will be launched in Astana at the New City Astana special economic zone industrial park.
Chief of the Tau-Ken ...
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Trade and Consumer Goods
Kazakh foreign trade surplus up 11.2 percent in first quarter
Kazakhstan’s foreign trade surplus amounted US $12.9 billion in QI 2012, up 11.2 percent year-on-year, the State Statistics Agency reported on Monday.
Foreign trade expanded 34.1 percent ...
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Novosti says Kazakh grain exports to be 12 million tons by July
By Nariman Gizitdinov
Kazakhstan’s grain exports may reach about 12 million metric tons this marketing year, Novosti- Kazakhstan reported, citing the Agriculture Ministry.
The country exported 9.6 million ...
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People and Professional Development
Three senior hires strengthen Troika Dialog’s investment banking franchise
Troika Dialog, one of the leading full-service investment houses in the CIS today announces the appointment of three senior bankers to its Investment Bank: Steve Kale ...
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Education
Duke, University of Pennsylvania, Carnegie Mellon partner with Nazarbayev University
By Hal Foster
Kazakhstan’s Nazarbayev University, whose partners include Duke, the University of Pennsylvania and Carnegie Mellon, has ambitious plans for its third year, including starting ...
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Culture and Society
Almaty residents want gender equality more than other Kazakhstani citizens
Almaty residents want gender equality more than other Kazakhstani citizens, Tengrinews.kz reports, citing analyst Daniya Altayeva as saying during a session at the Institute of Political ...
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Pharmaceutical and Healthcare News
Cancer number two in childhood deaths in Kazakhstan
Experts from the Research Institute of Oncology and Radiology have said cancer is the second major cause of childhood mortality, KTK TV said.
Today, nearly 1,300 children ...
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Regional News
Ready for dual challenge, EBRD holds annual meeting in London
EBRD prepares to start operations in Mediterranean while continuing to invest at crisis-response volumes in Europe and Asia
At a time when credit is scarce and economic ...
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Prices and Statistics
Volume and Share Index by Visor Capital
Date: May 16, 2012; Source: Visor Capital
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Market Movers by Visor Capital
Date: May 16, 2012; Source: Visor Capital
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Oil and Gas Prices
Date: May 16, 2011; Source: Bloomberg.com
| Petroleum
($/bbl) |
|
Price* |
Change |
%Change |
Time |
| Nymex Crude Future |
92.64
|
-1.34
|
-1.43
|
01:46 |
| Dated Brent Spot |
110.96 |
-0.76 |
-0.68
|
01:57 |
| WTI Cushing Spot |
93.98 |
-0.80 |
-0.84
|
05/15 |
| Petroleum
(cent/gal) |
|
Price* |
Change |
%Change |
Time |
| Nymex Heating Oil Future |
291.30
|
-2.00
|
-0.68 |
01:35
|
| Nymex RBOB Gasoline Future |
292.84
|
-1.57 |
-0.53 |
01:44 |
| Natural gas
($/MMBtu) |
|
Price* |
Change |
%Change |
Time |
| Nymex Henry Hub Future |
2.51 |
0.01 |
0.36 |
01:45 |
| Henry Hub Spot |
2.40 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
05/15 |
| New York City Gate Spot |
2.49
|
-0.02
|
-0.80 |
05/15
|
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Commodities
Date: May 16, 2012; Source: Bloomberg.com
| Commodity |
Price |
Change |
%Change |
Time |
| COPPER FUTURE (USd/lb.) |
347.850 |
-3.900 |
-1.11 |
01:45 |
| GOLD 100 OZ FUTR (USD/t oz.) |
1,535.900
|
-21.200
|
-1.36
|
01:45 |
| SILVER FUTURE (USD/t oz.) |
27.435 |
-0.645
|
-2.30
|
01:45 |
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Metal Prices
Date: May 16, 2012; Source: Kitco.com
| Silver |
27.34 |
-0.38 |
| Platinum |
1423.00
|
-4.00
|
| Palladium |
589.00
|
-2.00
|
| Rhodium |
1,325.00 |
0.00
|
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Exchange rates
Date: May 16, 2012; Source: the National Bank of Kazakhstan
| 1 USD |
KZT 148.00 |
1 CHF |
KZT 158.36 |
1 CNY |
KZT 23.43 |
1 TRY |
KZT 81.99 |
10 JPY |
KZT 1.85 |
| 1 EUR |
KZT 190.17 |
1 AUD |
KZT 147.87 |
1 KGS |
KZT 3.15 |
1 UZS |
KZT 0.08 |
1 BYR |
KZT 0.02 |
| 1 GBP |
KZT 237.79 |
1 CAD |
KZT 147.78 |
1 RUB |
KZT 4.88 |
1 KRW |
KZT 12.84 |
1 UAH |
KZT 18.42 |
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