The international trading platform ITS has completed the regular rebalancing of its flagship ITS World Index, increasing the number of Kazakhstani issuers in the index from two to five. Who joined the top list? The index basket, which tracks 50 of the world’s largest corporations, added three new representatives from…
On Feb. 4, as part of Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s state visit to Pakistan, he and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif attended the Kazakhstan-Pakistan Business Forum, according to the Akorda press service. Speaking at the forum, Tokayev thanked the Pakistani prime minister for initiating the event, calling his first state visit…
ASML Holding NV plans to eliminate roughly 1,700 positions, primarily within its technology divisions, according to Chief Executive Officer Christophe Fouquet, Bloomberg reported. The announcement came as the Dutch tech giant reported its 13th straight year of revenue growth. Most of the job reductions will take place in the Netherlands,…
The Kazakhstan Stock Exchange (KASE) plans to launch the country’s first exchange-traded funds linked to KASE indices, marking a milestone for Kazakhstan’s capital markets. The move will allow retail investors to gain exposure to the domestic market using a structure similar to widely followed global benchmarks such as the S&P…
Kazakhstan’s government has approved major investment projects to build four modern pharmaceutical manufacturing plants to expand domestic drug production. The total investment is estimated at 173 billion tenge (about $340 million). The projects will be implemented by four companies: AltINFARM LLP; Nobel Almaty Pharmaceutical Factory JSC; Abdi Ibrahim Global Pharm…
Amid a sharp rise in Kazatomprom’s share price in early 2026, Kursiv.media calculated the increase in value of Kazatomprom and KazMunayGas shares purchased in 2023 and 2024 using money from Kazakhstan’s National Fund. The analysis shows that the combined unrealized profit has already exceeded 2 trillion tenge (about $4 billion).…
Kazakhstan registered 4,400 new companies or branches with foreign participation in 2025, driven primarily by businesses from China and Uzbekistan, according to the Bureau of National Statistics. As of Jan. 1, 2026, the country had about 63,900 legal entities and branches with foreign participation, including branches of foreign companies operating…
Kazakh Invest and China’s Guoyou Materials Group have discussed implementing a major Caspian Sea infrastructure project involving the construction of a $1.1 billion multifunctional transloading complex at the port of Kuryk. Once commissioned, the advanced shipping cluster is expected to boost Kazakhstan’s transit potential and strengthen its role along the…
India currently depends on overseas suppliers for roughly 90% to 95% of its semiconductor requirements. That reliance is now prompting a major domestic push, as the government moves forward with plans to establish what it hopes will be the country’s first large-scale semiconductor fabrication plant. The facility is planned for…
Higgsfield AI, a startup from Kazakhstan, has raised new funding at a valuation of more than $1.3 billion, Reuters reported. The company develops AI-powered video generation tools and is among the fastest-scaling generative AI projects globally. The company recently disclosed that it raised $130 million in a Series A funding…
A large business complex, Iconic Towers, will be built in the city of Alatau, with total investment exceeding $800 million. The architectural concept for the project is being developed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), an American firm known for its iconic skyscrapers worldwide. Due to the high importance of…
Central banks around the world continue to actively purchase gold, with Kazakhstan remaining one of the leaders in the trend. According to the World Gold Council (WGC), the National Bank of Kazakhstan increased its gold reserves by another 8 tons in November. In total, the National Bank purchased 49 tons…
What do banks and stadiums have in common? Directly, there is no obvious connection. One unproven theory, however, suggests that where large amounts of capital are concentrated, generous investments often follow — including funding for major sports facilities. Our regular contributor and data visualization creator, Nurasyl Abrazakuly, has mapped out…
The Kazakh government has approved an investment agreement to launch a new soft drink plant in the Aktobe region next year. A decree was signed by Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov. The project’s investor, Coca-Cola Almaty Bottlers LLC, is ready to allocate approximately $83 million to the new production site. Once…
Kazakhstan’s National Bank has approved the launch of three pilot projects involving digital assets, including a pilot that would allow cryptocurrency payments via QR codes, the regulator’s press office said. Three areas selected for testing According to the National Bank, the pilot projects will focus on three key areas: QR-code…
The Portuguese company Mota-Engil, whose main shareholders include China Communications Construction Co. (CCCC), is in talks to buy the Brazilian mining company Bamin, which is owned by Kazakhstan’s Eurasian Resources Group (ERG), sources told the Brazilian outlet Valor International. Bamin’s Brazilian concession Bamin holds a concession for a section of…
According to Nurdaulet Kilybay, governor of Kazakhstan’s Mangystau region, the Chinese company Zhongyong International plans to begin construction of a new seaport in Aktau next year. The first phase of the project alone is expected to cost $300 million. The agreement follows several years of negotiations with the company that…
In recent years, Kazakhstan has invested about $680 million in Uzbekistan, according to the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB). Companies owned by Kazakhstan’s wealthiest businessmen have accounted for a significant share of that investment, Margarita Bocharova, an author with the Shishkin_like project, wrote in a recent review. EDB analysts say more…
Jim Beam, owned by Japanese Suntory Global Spirits, will stop production at its main Kentucky distillery for all of next year due to planned upgrades of the site, as reported by the BBC. The company said the decision was made after reviewing production needs based on expected demand for 2026.…
Singapore-based holding company Food Empire has invested 6.7 billion tenge (about $13 million) in the construction of a tea and coffee production facility in Khorgos, a key gateway city linking Kazakhstan and China. The plant will produce instant coffee under the popular MacCoffee brand. Khorgos emerges as manufacturing hub Speaking…
BAE Systems, the U.K.’s largest multinational aerospace and defense company, has decided to sell half of its stake in Air Astana, Kazakhstan’s national carrier, according to Reuters. Once the deal is completed, the British company’s shareholding will fall from 16.95% to approximately 8%. In 2024, BAE Systems had already reduced…
Papa John’s recently announced its withdrawal from Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan after losing market share to more flexible regional rivals such as Dodo Pizza, analysts at Teniz Capital Investment Banking said. The U.S.-based pizza chain entered Kazakhstan in 2018, opening 15 restaurants but failing to keep pace with fast-growing local competitors.…
BOE Technology Group Co. Ltd., a China-based manufacturer of display panels, including LCD, OLED and LED screens, is set to establish an LED display and next-generation component factory in Alatau, Almaty region, according to the region’s governor’s office. «A memorandum of cooperation was signed between the region’s Department of Entrepreneurship…
The American restaurant franchise Papa John’s is closing all its locations in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. Franchisee cites revenue decline, rising costs Restaurateur Daniyar Monolbai announced on social media that his company is ending its role as the master franchisee for Papa John’s in both countries. He said the decision was…
