KazCham

ENERGY:

Kazakhstan and China reach agreement on gas pipeline network expansion (SRI)

Tethys’ Kalypso Kazakh well reaches total depth, Doris drilling ahead of schedule (Proactive Investors)

Roxi confused with 48% share price surge (ShareCast)

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY:

Forbes to launch Kazakhstan edition (SRI)

Samsung considering opening waste processing facilities in Pavlodar (SRI)

Kazakhstan ranked 72nd in Global Competitiveness Report (SRI)

Grain yield up sharply in 2011 harvest (SRI)

Grain prices rise almost 15% year-to-date (SRI)

Kazakhstan and Belarus to bring trade turnover to $1 billion by year-end (Interfax)

Indicators – September 8, 2011 (Reuters)

POLITICS AND SECURITY:

Kazakhstan cites terror-suspect links to Afghanistan, Pakistan (RFE/RL)

Kazakhstan introduces color-coded uniforms for prisoners (RFE/RL)

Kazakhstan interested in Azerbaijan’s experience in defense industry (Trend)

SOCIETY:

Kazakhstan to scrutinize foreign religious literature (Interfax)

SOURCE: http://silkroadintelligencer.com/2011/09/09/kazakhstan-daily-news-roundup-september-9-2011/

Court sentences striking oil workers’ lawyer to six years for “inciting social discord”

(SRI) – The city court in Aktau in western Kazakhstan sentenced the labor union lawyer advising striking oil workers to six years in jail on Monday, sparking outcry among domestic and international human rights advocates.

ENERGY:

KMG EP anticipates further production losses as strikes continue (SRI)

Ekibastuz GRES-1 income $112 million in H1 2011 (SRI)

Tethys Petroleum opens oil production facilities in Kazakhstan (Proactive Investors)

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY:

Kazakh stock market tumbles amid global selloff (SRI)

Alliance Bank to earn KZT8-KZT10 billion in 2011; finds buyer for problem retail loans (SRI)

Bank CenterCredit earns $8.4 million in H1 (SRI)

Kazakhstan’s foreign reserves increase by 3.6% in July – central bank (SRI)

Central bank suspends licenses of four small banks (SRI)

Indicators – August 9, 2011 (Reuters)

METALS AND MINING:

ENRC hires outsiders to conduct internal investigations – Times (SRI)

POLITICS AND SECURITY:

Former Minister of Health sentenced to 7 years in high-security prison (Interfax)

On the move: financial police (SRI)

SOURCE: http://silkroadintelligencer.com/2011/08/10/kazakhstan-daily-news-roundup-august-10-2011/

ENERGY:

Helios may start closing filling stations – Interfax (SRI)

Tethys Petroleum to list in London (SRI)

Strikes in Kazakhstan: Oilers inflamed (The Economist)

Fitch revises Kazatomprom Outlook to Negative from Stable (SRI)

Caspian seeks to expand license area (Oil and Gas Journal)

Kazakh manufacturers to deliver $4.1 million worth of oil and gas equipment to Russia (Interfax)

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY:

Kazakhstan expects better than average harvest in 2011 – Minister (SRI)

Samruk-Kazyna board approves draft program for “people’s IPO” (SRI)

Russia central bank pulls Ablyazov-controlled AMT Bank’s licence (Reuters)

GSM Kazakhstan increases subscriber number by 24% in H1 (SRI)

Kazakhstan boosts construction of Euro-Asian transport corridors (Eurasia Daily Monitor)

Indicators – Julu 21, 2011 (Reuters)

POLITICS AND SECURITY:

Kazakh leader back at work, meets PM (Reuters)

Kazakhstan questions presence on U.S. terror risk list (RIA Novosti)

THIS WEEK’S TOP HEADLINES:

Succession issue in spotlight amid rumors about Nazarbayev’s health (SRI)

Rumors about Nazarbayev health swirl amid alleged hospital stay (SRI)

Ablyazov assets concentrated in hundreds of offshore companies – report (SRI)

SOURCE: http://silkroadintelligencer.com/2011/07/22/kazakhstan-daily-news-roundup-july-22-2011/

ENERGY:

KMG EP to pursue Aral basin oil and gas exploration
(bne) – The Aral Sea basin is possibly the second most prospective area for oil and gas in Central Asia after the Caspian basin, according to Askar Balzhanov, general director and chairman of the management board of KazMunaiGas Exploration Production (KMG EP).

Strike hits output at Kazakh KMG EP’s oil field
(Reuters) – Kazakhstan’s London-listed oil and gas firm KazMunaiGas Exploration Production is suffering a daily output loss of some 2,000 tonnes of crude oil due to a workers’ strike.

Kulibayev may join Gazprom’s board of directors (SRI)

Kazakhstan plans to extend ban on petrochemicals export (SRI)

Tethys Petroleum tests oil in upper AKD03 Dione well in Kazakhstan (Proactive Investors)

Condor’s Shoba-3 appraisal well encounters a 48-meter hydrocarbon column (Marketwire)

Berezovka villagers demand that Karachaganak operator and government finance their immediate relocation (Interfax)

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY:

Almaty scrambles to improve earthquake readiness
(bne) – 100 years after the last major earthquake flattened the city, Almaty residents are living in fear of the next big one. A scare in early May revealed how unprepared the Kazakh authorities are, and a drill on May 24 was hastily arranged.

Kazkommertsbank Q1 net profit up by 6% (SRI)

Astana sees free-trade zone as antidote to Dutch Disease (EurasiaNet)

Indicators – May 31, 2011 (Reuters)

METALS AND MINING:

Alhambra Resources announces Q1 results (Marketwire)

SOCIETY:

Suspect in Kazakh smuggling case apprehended in Abu Dhabi (RFE/RL)

REGIONAL:

Turkmenistan says keen to boost gas sales to Russia (Reuters)

Turkmenistan ’setting up space agency’ (AFP)

ENERGY:

KMG EP looks for new exploration assets at home and abroad
(bne) – KazMunaiGas Exploration Production is making a big push to acquire new oil and gas prospects both in Kazakhstan and abroad in order to maintain production levels as its main fields mature.

KazMunaiGas may transfer Kashagan stake to traded unit
(Bloomberg) – KazMunaiGas may transfer its stake in the Kashagan oil field to its London-traded unit, KazMunaiGas Exploration Production, said Kairgeldy Kabyldin, the CEO of the Kazakh state oil producer.

No plans to raise oil export duty – Mynbayev (SRI)

Kashagan extractions to start by 2012, Eni’s Descalzi tells Sole (Bloomberg)

Zhaikmunai reports $11.2 million in first-quarter income (SRI)

KazMunaiGas says workers’ strikes have little impact on output (Bloomberg)

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY:

Alliance Bank hires law firm to recover embezzled assets (SRI)

On the move: Samruk-Kazyna Real Estate Fund (SRI)

Emerging markets head for IMF unlikely – Marchenko (Financial Times)

BTA Bank bonds ‘everyone loves to hate’ slide to record lows (Bloomberg)

British court orders arrest of brother-in-law of Kazakh BTA bank ex-head (RIA Novosti)

China invests $5.5 billion in Kazakh economy in 2010 (SRI)

Astana closing in on WTO membership (EurasiaNet)

Indicators – May 27, 2011 (Reuters)

METALS AND MINING:

No new shares for Kazakhmys Hong Kong listing
(SRI) – Kazakhstan’s largest copper miner Kazakhmys said Friday its board of directors has approved a secondary listing of the company’s shares on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in June but the listing won’t result in the issue of new shares.

Red October may buy stake in Kazakhstan copper project (Mining Weekly)

POLITICS:

Kazakh opposition calls for halt to China expansion
(Reuters) – Opposition activists in Kazakhstan called on the government on Saturday to stop Chinese investment in the country’s natural resources, saying Beijing could be preparing a land grab in Central Asia.

Jailed Kazakh human rights activist released on furlough (RFE/RL)

REGIONAL:

Tethys Petroleum finds oil at Tajik well; shares jump (Reuters)

Tajikistan at growing risk of insurgency – report (Reuters)

SOURCE: http://silkroadintelligencer.com/2011/05/30/kazakhstan-daily-news-roundup-may-30-2011/

ENERGY:

Indian company may raise stake in oil block to 35% – official (SRI)

Samruk-Energo income up in 2010 (SRI)

KazMunaiGas 2010 net profit doubles to $2.7 billion (Reuters)

Tethys Petroleum finds oil at Kazakh well (Reuters)

India gains a foothold in Kazakhstan (Financial Times)

Condor confirms Kazakh oil, gas find (Oil and Gas Journal)

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY:

Alliance Bank may sell bad retail loans (SRI)

Kazakhstan expecting good grain harvest in 2010 – Minister (SRI)

AGCO considering manufacturing plant in Kazakhstan (SRI)

Moody’s downgrades Bank CenterCredit to B1 (Moody’s)

Kazakh President orders licensing system streamlined (Interfax)

National Bank of Kazakhstan: Exchange rates April 19, 2011 (Kazakhstan Today)

Indicators – April 18, 2011 (Reuters)

METALS AND MINING:

Former Lonmin boss Brad Mills appointed head of Kazakh AltynGroup (Telegraph)

Frontier Mining appoints ex-ENRC man as executive director, head of government relations(Proactive Investors)

POLITICS:

Nazarbayev gets new ‘No. 2? (Reuters – Moscow Times)

Kazakh president suggests staying in power until 2030 (RFE/RL)

SOCIETY:

Nazarbayev predicts Kazakh language breakthrough (RIA Novosti)

SOURCE: http://silkroadintelligencer.com/2011/04/19/kazakhstan-daily-news-roundup-april-19-2011/

HEADLINES:

Kulibayev named Samruk-Kazyna head
(SRI) – Timur Kulibayev, the billionaire son-in-law of Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev, has on Tuesday been named head of the state-owned investment and holding company Samruk-Kazyna.

Most ministers keep jobs amid reshuffle
(SRI) – Most of Kazakhstan’s cabinet ministers including Oil and Gas Minister Sauat Mynbayev have kept their positions, as Prime Minister Karim Masimov announced the forming of a new government on Tuesday.

Kazakhstan names new foreign, economy and agriculture ministers amid reshuffle (SRI)

ENERGY:

Sinopec begins construction of petrochemical facility in Atyrau (SRI)

Tethys Petroleum announces organisational changes (OilVoice)

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY:

Industrial production up 6% in Q1 (SRI)

Indicators – April 12, 2011 (Reuters)

METALS AND MINING:

Hambledon reveals the early signs of progress as first quarter production rises 72% (Proactive Investors)

Orsu increases share in Karchiga project to 94.75% (Marketwire)

POLITICS:

Atameken has no plans to transform into a political party – chairman
(SRI) – Chairman of the business lobbying group Atameken rejected suggestions that the association could be transformed into a political party and challenge the ruling Nur Otan party’s grip on power.

SOURCE: http://silkroadintelligencer.com/2011/04/13/kazakhstan-daily-news-roundup-april-13-2011/

ENERGY:

Oil and gas production up in January – statistics agency (SRI)

Tethys Petroleum appoints new Deputy CEO (Proactive Investors)

BMB Munai agrees to sell operating subsidiary Emir Oil (PR Newswire)

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY:

Kazakh economy grows by 7% in 2010 – statistics agency (SRI)

Kazakhstan 2010 trade surplus doubles to $29.5 billion (Reuters)

Average wage grows by 14.2% in 2010 (SRI)

National Bank of Kazakhstan: Exchange rates February 15, 2011 (Kazakhstan Today)

Indicators – February 14, 2011 (Reuters)

METALS AND MINING:

Kazakhmys chairman to keep stake, mulls HK listing (Reuters)

Kazakhstan boosts copper output in January (Reuters)

Frontier Mining reports increased oxide, sulphide resources at Benkala (SRI)

POLITICS:

Kazakh President to visit China next week (TREND)

Kazakh presidential candidate turned down after failing language test (RIA Novosti)

SOURCE: http://silkroadintelligencer.com/2011/02/15/kazakhstan-daily-news-roundup-february-15-2011/

ENERGY:

CPC oil exports down on bad weather, repairs (SRI)

Tethys Petroleum receives two-year extension for Kul-Bas exploration contract (Proactive Investors)

Samruk-Energo selling stake in Mangistau Power Grid Company (Interfax)

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY:

Russia worries that Customs Union outpost is smugglers’ paradise (EurasiaNet)

Kazkosmos to invite Kazakh insurance company for KazSat-2 project (Interfax)

National Bank of Kazakhstan: Exchange rates February 9, 2011 (Kazinform)

Indicators – February 8, 2011 (Reuters)

MINERAL RESOURCES:

ArcelorMittal Kazakh unit to invest $500 million in 2011 (Reuters)

POLITICS:

What is Nazarbayev’s motive for early vote? (EurasiaNet)

Spelling mistakes nix Kazakh candidacy (RFE/RL)

REGIONAL:

Energy riches, fear contain Central Asia dissent (Reuters)

Unlimited Turkmen Internet nearly $7,000 per month (AFP)

Turkmen leader orders beauty contests for horses (Reuters)

Source: http://silkroadintelligencer.com/2011/02/09/kazakhstan-daily-news-roundup-february-9-2011/

ENERGY:

KMG EP crude oil production up 16% in 2010
(SRI) – KazMunaiGas Exploration Production (KMG EP), the upstream-focused subsidiary of the Kazakh national oil company, increased crude oil production by 16% last year to 13.29 million tonnes (270,000 barrels per day), the company said on Tuesday.

CPC oil exports rise 1% in 2010 (SRI)

Tethys Petroleum receives approval for Doris oil production project in Kazakhstan (Proactive Investors)

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY:

Kazakhstan will abandon currency corridor in March
(Bloomberg) – Kazakhstan will loosen its control over the tenge and return to a managed floating currency regime from March 20, according to National Bank of Kazakhstan Governor Grigoriy Marchenko.

Kazakh central bank sees 5-6% economic growth in 2011
(Reuters) – Kazakhstan’s central bank on Tuesday forecast that Central Asia’s largest economy would grow by between 5 percent and 6 percent this year, higher than the latest official government forecast for 2011.

National Bank of Kazakhstan: Exchange rates January 12, 2011 (Kazinform)

Indicators – January 11, 2011 (Reuters)

POLITICS:

Kazakh police seize pro-democracy protesters (Telegraph)

REGIONAL:

Turkmenistan replaces gas company head, eyes Europe (Reuters)

Turkmenistan growth accelerates in 2010 – president (Reuters)