Market comment

Обзоры рынка 22.08.2013 Investors snapped a three-session losing streak for Ukrainian equities trading in Poland despite a global slump on Wednesday, August 21. The WIG Ukraine Index improved 1.7% as traders snapped up the depressed shares of leading farming companies. Both grain trader Kernel (KER PW) and farmer and food processor Agroton (AGT PW) rose 2.6%, while sugar producer Astarta (AST PW) gained 2.0%. The London markets proved far rougher for Ukrainian stocks as traders extended the losing streak of poultry producer MHP (MHPC LI -2.3%) to five sessions at an 8.6% loss. The stock sunk further on reports of Kazakhstan banning chicken imports from an MHP factory. Slumping resource and commodity companies dragged shares of iron ore miner Ferrexpo (FXPO LN) lower by 1.9%, deepening its loss to 6.5% in three straight negative sessions. The Ukrainian Exchange (UX) Index of Kyiv-traded stocks slid 1.0%, weighed down by Donbasenergo (DOEN UK -1.9%), whose majority stake was sold yesterday to a company owned by a well-connected businessman.