Ukraine’s bank sales stall as buyers refuse to pay high prices

The central bank of Ukraine says there is a “good chance” it will sell two state-owned banks by December. But the market is not cooperating. Banks in Ukraine have become too profitable to sell at a price buyers are willing to pay. As profits rise, the government’s asking price goes up. Investors, however, see lower value. This gap has caused repeated delays. The deadline for the sales keeps slipping. The central bank remains optimistic, but the market’s price signals say otherwise. The standoff highlights a basic problem: if the seller wants top dollar and the buyer wants a bargain, no deal gets done.