Against the backdrop of another stabilization on the interbank currency market, the cash market has started another reduction in sale prices. If on Friday afternoon the capital's wholesale exchange offices were selling cash "American" at 46.35 hryvnia, then by 12:30 today - at 46.17 hryvnia, that is 18 kopecks cheaper.
This confirms the hypothesis expressed yesterday by analysts of the "Kurs Ukrainy" portal that the National Bank is in every way stimulating the convergence of cash and non-cash dollar exchange rates. Moreover, two parallel processes are taking place: the non-cash dollar on the interbank market is getting more expensive, while the cash dollar is getting cheaper, because the so-called "speculative component" is gradually being removed.
At the same time, price tags in regional centers are not in a hurry to decline. Today, in the first half of the day, wholesalers were selling the dollar at the following prices: Lutsk and Chernivtsi – 46.25 hryvnia, Chernihiv – 46.30 hryvnia, Odesa and Mykolaiv – 46.35 hryvnia, Poltava – 46.40 hryvnia.
Commercial banks raised their sale prices for cash dollars, thus reacting to yesterday's increase in interbank quotations. As of 12:00 on Tuesday, the cheapest dollar at 45.85 hryvnia was declared by the Kyiv branch of Sky Bank [it was declared because in reality it is impossible to buy it there at such a rate – Ed.], while the most expensive dollar – at 46.35 hryvnia – was sold by Radabank. As we can see, bank retail rates are lower than those of Kyiv wholesalers. It is not surprising that buying dollars in banks is becoming problematic.
As for the euro, the minimum sale rate at the moment is also in the Kyiv branch of Sky Bank – 51.40 hryvnia. The maximum sale rate for cash euros – 52.00 hryvnia – is in Pivdennyi Bank and Altbank.
In a confidential conversation, the treasurer of a large commercial bank explained to a representative of the "Kurs Ukrainy" portal why it is currently difficult for a person "from the street" to buy cash currency. "Everything has already been pre-arranged and ordered by those who bought currency online or on deposit. Nothing is left for a non-client of the bank."
