As of June, the number of small companies operating in Kazakhstan had increased 7.9 percent in the last 12 months to 158,700. The figure represents 37 percent of all registered small companies. More than 40 percent of all active small companies are in Almaty (37,200, a 13-percent increase year-on-year (yoy)) and Nur-Sultan (26,500, a 10.7-percent increase yoy), followed by the East Kazakhstan Region (9,900, a 2.9-percent increase yoy). Almost one-quarter of the companies are involved in motor vehicle and motorcycle trade and repair (37,700, a 7.4-percent increase per year). A number of companies are in construction (16,100, a 17.4-percent increase per year) and education (15,400, a 4.8-percent increase percent per year).
Retail trade volume reached 4.9 trillion tenge (US$12.73 billion) from January-June, with a 5.4-percent real growth year-on-year (yoy). Food products accounted for 1.6 trillion tenge (US$4.16 billion), or 32.5 percent, with a 5.8-percent sales increase yoy. The largest share, 31.5 percent, was in Almaty, followed by Nur-Sultan and the East Kazakhstan Region at 12 percent and 9.1 percent, respectively. Based on company size, individual entrepreneurs comprise 44.2 percent of retail trade with sales of 2.2 trillion tenge (US$5.7 billion). Small enterprise retail sales were 1.4 trillion tenge (US$3.64 billion), or 29 percent.
Art and leisure received 54.5 billion tenge (US$141.61 million) in investments in the first half of the year, 32.6 percent more than in 2018, reported finprom.kz. The largest bulk of capital investments came to the East Kazakhstan Region (16.8 billion tenge or US$43.65 million), Almaty (11.4 billion tenge or US$29.62 million) and Nur-Sultan (7.1 billion tenge or US$18.45 million). In service volume, theatrical activities accounted for 4.7 billion tenge (US$12.21 million), a 5.5-percent decrease year-on-year (yoy). Concert activity accounted for 3.4 billion tenge (US$8.83 million), a 34.4-percent increase yoy; art services were one billion tenge (US$2.6 million), a 74-percent increase yoy.
The cash in circulation in June, 2.23 trillion tenge (US$5.8 billion), decreased 0.6 percent compared to May and 1.3 percent since December, reported the Kazakh National Bank. The monetary aggregate M1, which includes cash and liquid tenge deposits, decreased 4.4 percent last month to 5.51 trillion tenge (US$14.32 billion) and 1.7 percent since the beginning of 2019. The M2 indicator, which includes cash, all tenge and liquid foreign currency deposits, decreased 3.9 percent to 14.55 trillion tenge (US$37.80 billion), but has an overall increase of 0.6 percent since the beginning of the year. Money supply decreased 1 percent to 19.54 trillion tenge (US$50.77 billion), with a 6.1-percent decrease since the beginning of the year. The monetary base, or the money of the National Bank of Kazakhstan, decreased 4.1 percent in June to 6.35 trillion tenge (US$16.5 billion) and 4.6 percent since December. In narrow terms, the monetary base decreased 5.1 percent to 5.24 trillion tenge (US$16.5 billion) and 12.6 percent since the beginning of the year.
Gambling and betting services have reduced to a minimum since 2010, shrinking to 3.1 billion tenge (US$8.06 million) from January-March, reported finprom.kz. The physical volume index of services rendered prior to 2018 reached 53.3 percent; the volume rendered last year was slightly more than 5.4 billion tenge (US$14.03 million). The vast majority, or 86 percent of all services, are generated in two recreation areas, Kapshagai and Burabai resorts, providing the largest volume of services to the Almaty and Akmola regions, respectively. The Almaty Region accounts for 2.3 billion tenge (US$5.98 million), a 31.1-percent decrease compared to last year; the Akmola Region, 426.7 million tenge (US$1.11 million), a 4.8-percent increase for the year.
