Tbilisi-Batumi train travel time reduced to 4 hours - Lasha Abashidze

According to the NBG's monthly review, in June the interest rate on foreign currency loans to legal entities decreased by 0.1 percentage points, to 9.6%.The interest rate on a legal entity loan in the national currency is 12.6%, mortgages - from 11.5%.The review also notes the acceleration of foreign currency lending, the pace increased by 0.4 percentage points, to 14.2%, and by 0.2 percentage points in the national currency.

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In detail:• The residential segment index increased by 2.6 percent compared to the previous month and by 3.5 percent compared to the same month of the previous year; • The non-residential segment index increased by 0.6 percent compared to the previous month and decreased by 0.1 percent compared to the same month of the previous year; • The civil segment index decreased by 0.5 percent compared to the previous month and increased by 5.8 percent compared to the same month of the previous year.In June 2026 the Construction Cost Index (CCI) increased by 0.9 percent compared to the previous month. The change was mainly due to a 5.4 percent increase in average monthly nominal wages of employees in the construction sector, which contributed 1.01 percentage points to the total index change. Compared to June 2025 the CCI increased by 3.9 percent.The latter was largely caused by the 16.6 percent increase in the cost category of transportation, fuel and electricity and by the 1.8 percent increase in average monthly nominal wages of employees in the construction sector, which contributed 1.9 and 1.01 percentage points to the total index change, respectively. Along with this, the Construction Cost Index posted a 29.3 percent increase compared to February 2022.

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According to the report, by the end of 2Q26, TBC Uzbekistan’s total loan portfolio reached $879 million, while the number of monthly active users (MAU) in the ecosystem increased to 5.8 million.In addition, the company’s payment transaction volume increased by 45% year-on-year in 2Q26 and exceeded $3.25 billion, which accounts for more than 20% of the total payment market in Uzbekistan.In 2Q26, TBC Uzbekistan’s net commission income amounted to $15 million, which is a 5% increase compared to the same period last year and a 15% increase compared to the previous quarter. During the same period, TBC Bank’s deposit portfolio exceeded $545 million.After the reporting period, on July 24, TBC Group completed the acquisition of a controlling stake in OLX Uzbekistan, which is a strategic step in expanding the ecosystem beyond financial services.In 2Q26, the company also expanded its product line: it launched secured loans and a payroll project for small and medium-sized businesses, and a digital auto lending product for individuals.“TBC Uzbekistan had a successful quarter: we continued to demonstrate sustainable growth across the ecosystem and launched new products, and immediately after the end of the reporting period, we closed several deals to acquire significant new assets.Our payment solutions showed significant growth: the total market share exceeded 20%, while our flagship debit product TBC Salom more than doubled and remains a key point of entry for customers in our ecosystem. At the same time, we continued to diversify our credit portfolio.Development in the SME segment will gain momentum as we scale up TBC Biznes and expand our presence in the secured lending segment. At the same time, we are developing the TBC Osmon credit card segment, which is increasingly taking a prominent place in the portfolio. I would like to separately mention OLX UZ Integration into the structure of TBC Uzbekistan. We are pleased to work together and continue to improve services for both individuals and businesses in Uzbekistan,” said Nika Kurdiani, CEO of TBC Uzbekistan.TBC Bank Group shares are traded on the London Stock Exchange (LSE).In July 2026, TBC Uzbekistan became the winner of four nominations at the Euromoney Awards for Excellence, including being named “Best Digital Bank in Central Asia.

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The programme will include both capital returns to shareholders - through share buybacks and, if required, dividends - as well as new investments in Georgia and Armenia. The first stage of the programme will be a US$50 million share buyback and cancellation initiative. The Board of Directors expects that at least half of the GEL 1 billion programme will be allocated towards returning capital to shareholders.With regard to investment opportunities in Armenia, GCAP said it increasingly views Georgia and Armenia as similar growth markets, offering opportunities to invest in complementary businesses across both economies. The company is already participating in Armenia’s economic growth through Lion Finance Group’s investment in Ameriabank, as well as through the expansion of its retail pharmacy business, which currently operates 23 stores in the country.Further announcements regarding new share buyback phases, potential acquisitions and other capital allocation initiatives will be made gradually as the programme progresses through the end of 2029.The announcement of the new programme follows a significant strengthening of GCAP’s balance sheet. The company has fully eliminated HoldCo-level borrowing, meaning that after the completion of the current share buyback programme and repayment of existing liabilities, GCAP will have approximately GEL 310 million in available liquidity at the holding company level.The Group also expects to generate strong free cash flow from its private portfolio companies, supported by growing dividend inflows driven by continued earnings growth. In addition, GCAP expects dividend income from its 14.9% stake in Lion Finance Group, which is expected to provide significant additional cash resources through the end of 2029.Taking these factors into account, the Board has updated the company’s capital allocation policy. All new investment opportunities will continue to be assessed against the alternative of repurchasing GCAP shares and reinvesting capital into the existing portfolio.However, as the discount between GCAP’s share price and its net asset value (NAV) per share has narrowed significantly in recent quarters, selective new investments have become increasingly attractive from a relative return perspective. According to the company, these opportunities provide an additional avenue for long-term growth while allowing GCAP to continue benefiting from the strong performance of its existing portfolio companies.GCAP said that over the past three years, NAV per share has increased by approximately 34% annually on average, reflecting the significant value created by its portfolio companies.

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Among the complainants are general mortgagees, for whom the servicing bank increased the collateral requirement for the next tranche, requiring alternative real estate of a family member to be secured.According to H1/2026 statistics, there are 15,600 (H1/2025 - 13,700, +14%Y.Y) complaints from dissatisfied clients with banks (including microbanks).Number of claims by product: H1/2026/ 

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Total assets: GEL 6.3 billion (growth of 15%); Loan portfolio: GEL 4.6 billion (growth of 15%); Deposit portfolio: GEL 5 billion (growth of 34%). The bank explains that as a result of the transition from the social segment to a diversified universal model, the share of social loans in the total portfolio decreased to 11%. In addition, the MSME (micro, small and medium enterprises) portfolio has increased 4 times in the last 5 years and reached GEL 1.85 billion.In parallel, the use of digital channels has also increased - in the last 1 year, the number of remote service users has increased by 12.6% and reached 1 million.As a reminder, in April 2026, Basisbank acquired 95.99% of Liberty shares. According to the first half of the year, Basisbank's assets amounted to GEL 6.2 billion, its credit portfolio amounted to GEL 3.7 billion, and deposits amounted to GEL 4 billion (net profit increased by 44%, to GEL 74 million).Liberty is one of the largest financial institutions in Georgia, serving more than 1.7 million individuals and more than 60,000 businesses. The bank is represented by about 500 service centers and about 700 ATMs across the country.

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The so-called intergovernmental agreement was signed in Moscow on December 27, 2025. The official goal of the document is to deepen socio-economic cooperation, raise the living standards of the population, and promote economic and investment activity.Funding Directions and Conditions Social and Cultural Sphere: The allocated financial assistance is directed to projects in the fields of education, youth policy, child rearing, cultural exchange and tourism. Law enforcement agencies: The agreement envisages increasing the salaries and social guarantees of employees of the so-called Ministry of Emergency Situations, the Prosecutor's Office and the State Protection Service of the occupied region. Provision of Medicines: The document also stipulated that the responsibility for the provision of medicines to Russian citizens permanently residing in the occupied territory lies with the local de facto authorities.

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Basisbank's financial indicators in figures: Total assets: GEL 6.2 billion, a 43% increase compared to the same period of the previous year.~ Total loan portfolio: GEL 3.7 billion, a 22% increase. Total deposit portfolio: GEL 4 billion, a 40% increase. Net profit: GEL 74 million, a 44% increase. Basisbank remains one of the primary supporters of Georgian business and stably occupies its place among the top three largest banks. This year, the pace of business financing by Basisbank has increased even further, with the growth of the corporate portfolio reaching 28% (GEL 2.8 billion), while the volume of corporate deposits amounted to GEL 2.3 billion. According to the 6-month data of 2026, the volume of retail loans amounted to GEL 942 million, while retail deposits totaled GEL 1.7 billion.As of June 30, 2026, Return on Assets (ROA) stood at 2.51%, and Return on Equity (ROE) stood at 14.05%.According to the first-half 2026 data of BB Leasing and BB Insurance, which are part of the Basisbank Group, the portfolio of BB Leasing amounted to GEL 48 million, representing an 8% portfolio growth compared to the same period of the previous year. The premium raised by BB Insurance in the first 6 months of 2026 amounted to GEL 9.5 million.According to the General Director of Basisbank and Liberty, Davit Tsaava, the first half results are the result of the right strategy. He also highlighted the deal made in April 2026, when Basisbank acquired 95.99% of Liberty Bank shares, which became the largest strategic transaction of the year.Liberty Bank itself recorded a net profit of GEL 52.8 million in 2Q26, while its assets amounted to GEL 6.3 billion.

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