SERBIA:

EBRD's new five-year strategy for Serbia – Expected growth in 2018 amounts to 2.9%
The EBRD’s Board of Directors has approved a new strategy for Serbia which will guide the Bank’s investments and policy work in the country for the next five years, the bank announced on March 5. The 2018-23 strategy sets out the following priorities: foster competitiveness and governance by boosting private companies and reforming state-owned enterprises and public utilities, enhance integration by improving the transport network, supporting regional economic connectivity and advancing energy interconnections, support the green economy through investments in energy efficiency and renewable energy as well as promoting sustainable practices across industries. Daniel Berg, EBRD Director for Serbia, said that they projected that the Serbian economy would grow by 2.9% in 2018.
Source: Ekapija

American companies interested in infrastructural projects in Serbia
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure Zorana Mihajlovic talked with US Ambassador to Serbia Kyle Scott and a delegation of the consortium Bechtel-Enka about new infrastructural projects being prepared by Serbia on March 5. Head of the American company Bechtel for Europe and the Middle East, Stuart Jones, said that he was impressed with the results realized in the field of infrastructure and emphasized that the company was interested in cooperating with Serbia on new projects, it is said.
Source: Ekapija

Higher GDP, employment growth key challenges for 2018, PM says
Prime Minister Ana Brnabic has told the daily Danas that Serbia "finished last year with good economic indicators." According to Brnabic's remarks published by the Serbian government, "economic reforms and fiscal consolidation were priorities in 2017." Summarizing the results from last year, Brnabic said that we significantly reduced the public debt, we have a stable dinar exchange rate and inflation within the planned framework. The key economic challenges in this year are to achieve are a stronger GDP growth and to have unemployment rate below ten percent, therefore we will continue to relieve companies from excessive compulsory contributions, Brnabic explained, adding that the priority is attracting new investments as this contributes to the competitiveness of the economy.
Source: b92

REGION:

SBITOP gained 0.43 percent
SBITOP gained 0.43 percent reaching 810.43 points. The most traded stocks were the stocks of Petrol which gained 0.59 percent. Otherwise the biggest gainers of the day were the stocks of Intereuropa (7.14%), Krka (0.71%) and Zavarovalnica Triglav (0.48%)
Source: Ilirika

The Koper container terminal from today with a new connection to Munich
Today the Slovenian rail operator Adria kombi provides a new direct service connecting the container terminal of Luka Koper to the terminal Riem in the Bavarian capital of Munich. Initially, trains will be driven three times a week in both directions. In particular, because of the shorter transport route, there is still a lot of potential for the growth of trade in goods via Koper.
Source: Ilirika

Part of the EU funds for the second track could be used by the Directorate for Infrastructure instead of 2TDK
Slovenia proposed to the European Commission the transfer of the right to spend European funds for preparatory works for the second track from the project company 2TDK to the Directorate of the Republic of Slovenia for Infrastructure (Drsi). In this way, according to State Secretary Jure Leben, "funds" which the 2TDK cannot draw on because of court proceedings, could be "solved".
Source: Ilrika

INO:

Stocks close higher but investors remain on edge over tariffs debate, Europe ends slightly higher despite Italy uncertainty, US tariff concerns
U.S. stocks closed higher on Tuesday, but Wall Street remained on edge over an ongoing debate over tariffs proposed by President Donald Trump. The Dow Jones industrial average ended 9.36 points higher or 0.04%, while S&P 500 rose 0.3 percent to 2,728.12 after falling as much as much as 0.4 percent. General Motors, a company that would be adversely affected by the tariffs, saw its shares rise 0.5 percent. The Nasdaq composite closed 0.6 percent higher at 7,372.01 as shares of Netflix and Amazon rose.
In corporate news, Harley-Davidson said retaliatory tariffs by other countries on its motorcycles would have a "significant impact" on the company's sales. The company made the statement after European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said last week the European Union would impose tariffs on Harley's motorbikes if Trump moved forward with his tariffs. Harley-Davidson shares fell 2 percent.
Target's earnings per share fall one penny short of estimates, as the company reports more expenses from wage increases and other investments in employees. The stock was down 4.4%.
New orders for US manufactured goods slumped 1.4% mom in January, following an upwardly revised 1.8% rise in December and slightly worse than expectations of a 1.3% drop. Transportation equipment led the fall, namely motor vehicle bodies, parts and trailers and aircraft and parts.
European equities finished Tuesday's session slightly higher, as investors appeared to shrug off concerns of a potential trade war and uncertainty following Italy's election result. The pan-European STOXX 600 closed up 0.13 percent provisionally, off its session lows, with most of the region's sectors ending flat or in the black.
Autos were one of the top performers, rising 1.24 percent following comments from German automaker Volkswagen, who said that its deliveries rose 5 percent last month. The stock rose 2.25 percent. News that Fiat will spin off auto-parts business Magneti Marelli to shareholders, without any fundraising, also supported the sector. Shares of Fiat jumped 5.67 percent.
Looking at individual stocks, French defense firm Thales meantime announced that it exceeded all of its annual financial targets in 2017. The stock jumped 6.26 percent as a result.
Source: CNBC, Ilirika