Kazakhstan News Roundup - June 26, 2008

energy:

Turkey promotes new pipeline for Kazakh oil
(UPI) - Where would the crude for Samsun-Ceyhan (SCP) come from? The short answer is Kazakhstan, which is currently forced to use the Caspian Pipeline Consortium, terminating at Russia’s Novorossiisk port on the Sea of Azov, for the bulk of its exports.

Kazakhstan to have own oil quotations from June 25, 2008
(Azerbaijan Business Center) - Argus Media International Price Agency is starting publishing quotations for Kazakhstan oil sorts.

BMB Munai, Inc. announces receipt of exploration contract extension (PR Newswire)

mineral resources:

Outotec to tie up with Kazakhstan’s KGCM
(Thomson Financial - Hemscott) - Outotec Oyj said it has agreed to market minerals processing and metallurgical plants together with Kazakh engineering group Kazgiprotsvetmet (KGCM) in a bid to boost sales in Kazakstan and neighbouring countries.

business and economy:

Kazakhstan Alliance Bank Q1 2008 net halves
(Reuters) - Kazakhstan’s Alliance Bank said on Wednesday its first-quarter net profit fell to $35 million from $66.5 million in the same period of 2007.

Nurbank boosts capital by 24 percent
Nurbank, the 9th biggest bank in Kazakhstan, has raised its charter capital by 6.5 billion tenge ($54 million) to 33.6 billion tenge ($280 million), according to a press release issued on Wednesday.

Kazakhstan to introduce state monopoly on caviar sales
(RIA Novosti) - The lower house of the Kazakh parliament has approved in its first reading a bill to introduce a state monopoly on caviar production and sales, the parliamentary press service said on Wednesday.

National Bank cuts refinancing rate by 10.5% on July 1
(Interfax) - The National Bank of Kazakhstan has reduced the refinancing rate starting from July 1 to 10.5%.

Joint statement on Kazakh-American public-private economic partnership (Kazinform)

National Bank of Kazakhstan: Exchange rates June 26, 2008 (Kazinform)

Indicators - June 26, 2008
(Reuters) - Kazakhstan’s economic indicators based on data provided by the State Statistics Agency, government institutions, the central bank and exchanges.

politics:

Parliament adopts amendments to law “On Bankruptcy” (Interfax)

society:

Men become more effeminate: Dariga Nazarbaeva
(Interfax) - Dariga Nazarbaeva, the chair of the fund of the first Kazakhstan’s president, believes that the essential trait of men – masculinity is gradually giving way to effeminate features.

Women’s summit opens in Astana
(RFE/RL) - The second Eurasian Women’s Summit is under way in Astana, bringing together more than 400 women from social, political, and business organizations to discuss strategies for women’s empowerment.

regional news:

Burgas-Alexandroupolis pipeline route to be amended - Gazpromneft
(Itar-Tass) - The feasibility studies of the Burgas-Alexandproupolis pipeline project will begin to be actualized in the near future, the project’s chief from the Gazpromneft company, Nikolai Seryogin, told the media on Wednesday.

Kazakhstan Society Roundup - June 26, 2008

Men become more effeminate: Dariga Nazarbaeva
(Interfax) - Dariga Nazarbaeva, the chair of the fund of the first Kazakhstan’s president, believes that the essential trait of men – masculinity is gradually giving way to effeminate features.

Women’s summit opens in Astana
(RFE/RL) - The second Eurasian Women’s Summit is under way in Astana, bringing together more than 400 women from social, political, and business organizations to discuss strategies for women’s empowerment.

Kazakhstan Politics Roundup - June 26, 2008

Parliament adopts amendments to law “On Bankruptcy” (Interfax)

Kazakhstan Business and Economy Roundup - June 26, 2008

Kazakhstan Alliance Bank Q1 2008 net halves
(Reuters) - Kazakhstan’s Alliance Bank said on Wednesday its first-quarter net profit fell to $35 million from $66.5 million in the same period of 2007.

Nurbank boosts capital by 24 percent
Nurbank, the 9th biggest bank in Kazakhstan, has raised its charter capital by 6.5 billion tenge ($54 million) to 33.6 billion tenge ($280 million), according to a press release issued on Wednesday.

Kazakhstan to introduce state monopoly on caviar sales
(RIA Novosti) - The lower house of the Kazakh parliament has approved in its first reading a bill to introduce a state monopoly on caviar production and sales, the parliamentary press service said on Wednesday.

National Bank cuts refinancing rate by 10.5% on July 1
(Interfax) - The National Bank of Kazakhstan has reduced the refinancing rate starting from July 1 to 10.5%.

Joint statement on Kazakh-American public-private economic partnership (Kazinform)

National Bank of Kazakhstan: Exchange rates June 26, 2008 (Kazinform)

Indicators - June 26, 2008
(Reuters) - Kazakhstan’s economic indicators based on data provided by the State Statistics Agency, government institutions, the central bank and exchanges.

Kazakhstan Regional News Roundup - June 26, 2008

Burgas-Alexandroupolis pipeline route to be amended - Gazpromneft
(Itar-Tass) - The feasibility studies of the Burgas-Alexandproupolis pipeline project will begin to be actualized in the near future, the project’s chief from the Gazpromneft company, Nikolai Seryogin, told the media on Wednesday.

Kazakhstan Mineral Resources Roundup - June 26, 2008

Outotec to tie up with Kazakhstan’s KGCM
(Thomson Financial - Hemscott) - Outotec Oyj said it has agreed to market minerals processing and metallurgical plants together with Kazakh engineering group Kazgiprotsvetmet (KGCM) in a bid to boost sales in Kazakstan and neighbouring countries.

Kazakhstan Energy Roundup - June 26, 2008

Turkey promotes new pipeline for Kazakh oil
(UPI) - Where would the crude for Samsun-Ceyhan (SCP) come from? The short answer is Kazakhstan, which is currently forced to use the Caspian Pipeline Consortium, terminating at Russia’s Novorossiisk port on the Sea of Azov, for the bulk of its exports.

Kazakhstan to have own oil quotations from June 25, 2008
(Azerbaijan Business Center) - Argus Media International Price Agency is starting publishing quotations for Kazakhstan oil sorts.

BMB Munai, Inc. announces receipt of exploration contract extension (PR Newswire)

Nurbank boosts capital by 24 percent

Nurbank, the 9th biggest bank in Kazakhstan, has raised its charter capital by 6.5 billion tenge ($54 million) to 33.6 billion tenge ($280 million), according to a press release issued on Wednesday.

Nurbank issued 650,000 common shares to raise the funds, according to Interfax-Kazakhstan.

(more…)