Happy Monday, everyone! Yesterday was a huge day here in Mongolia as we celebrated International Women’s Day. Most of us just call it 'March 8th,' and the vibe was incredible, think endless flowers, cakes, and everyone trying their best to make the women in their lives feel truly appreciated. Even our President joined in, sharing a heartfelt message. He reminded us that men should focus on making women happy, beautifully quoting that they are 'born not to be merely understood, but to be loved’. 🌷

What’s inside today’s edition…

• 💰 “Century-5” sovereign bonds

• 🟢 Dividend Decisions of Listed Companies

• 🇲🇳 How Does Mongolia Really Measure Up? 

We’ve got a lot to cover, so let’s get moving. 🐐

MARKET

MNG: The Government of Mongolia has successfully priced $500 million of its new six-year “Century-5” sovereign bonds at a fixed coupon of 5.95%. 

IMP: Last year, Mongolia imported a total of 12.2 million fresh flowers, marking a significant 80% increase compared to 2024. With International Women’s Day being widely celebrated again this year, another record cannot be ruled out.

UB: The Ulaanbaatar city budget amendment has officially approved ₮325 billion for the capital's tram project. For the second line stretching from Sükhbaatar Square to the Buyant-Ukhaa Complex the land acquisition process will involve 278 affected parcels.

🟢 How Mongolian Listed Companies are Handling Dividends This Year

We’re officially in the final stretch of the dividend season. This is the time of year when Mongolian listed companies wrap up the big debate: how much of their 2025 net profits should go back to shareholders? Here’s the lowdown on how things are shaping up so far.

📌 The Numbers

According to the law, boards have a tight 50-day window after the financial year ends to make a call on dividends. This year, 54.66% (47 companies) got the green light to distribute a combined ₮946.54 billion. On the flip side, 39 companies (about 45%) have opted to hang onto their earnings, likely to reinvest in future growth.

📊 A Quick Look Back

The growth over the last few years has been pretty remarkable:

• 2021: 33 companies – ₮110.5 billion

• 2022: 38 companies – ₮150.8 billion

• 2023: 34 companies – ₮303.07 billion

• 2024: 47 companies – ₮535.09 billion

• 2025: 42 companies – ₮1,144.26 billion

• 2026: 47 companies – ₮946.54 billion

Who’s doing the heavy lifting? Unsurprisingly, it’s the banks. Just four major banks are responsible for ₮544.59 billion. That’s more than half of (57.54%) the entire market's payout. It’s also great to see the "new kids on the block" stepping up; five out of the eight recently listed companies have already started sharing profits, contributing over ₮52 billion to the total.

💹 Let’s Talk Yield

For those focused on the MSE’s Top-Tier (Category I), the consistency is impressive. Out of 25 top companies, 21 have paid out dividends steadily for the last three years, with an average annual yield of 6.8%. The standout performer this year? Mandal Insurance, boasting a massive 21.6% yield. Of course, it’s a mixed bag; a few other companies offered more modest yields below 1%.

The Big Picture… The takeaway here is that the Mongolian capital market is maturing right before our eyes. Much of this is thanks to the recent banking reforms, which have created a much healthier ecosystem for everyone. Even with the slight dip in total cash this year, the fact that more companies are choosing to reward their shareholders is a fantastic sign for the market’s long term health.

⭐ Selected for you

ECONOMY & BUSINESS

• “Investment and Trade Week” will Highlight Key Opportunities in Investment and Trade. (InvestMongolia)

• Intermed Hospital Raises ¥2.2 Billion in Investment from IUHWP Group. (CMM)

• Kincora Secures $4 million in Strongly Supported Placement. (TMKNewsfile)

• Mongolian and Japanese Firms Explore Cooperation Opportunities. (Montsame)

• Direct Flight Route Launched Between Ulaanbaatar and Shanghai. (AZERTAC)

• UK Emphasizes Expanding Critical Minerals Partnership. (UBPost)

POLITICS

• Government of Mongolia Prioritizes Transparency in State Service. (GOM)

• Mongolia and Norway Foreign Ministers Hold Talks on Cooperation. (AKIpress)

• MIAT JSC plans to operate a Ulaanbaatar–Dubai–Ulaanbaatar flight on March 10, 2026, for citizens residing in Middle Eastern countries. (MIAT)

• Top US East Asia Diplomat to Visit South Korea, Japan, and Mongolia Next Week: State Dept. (TheKoreaTimes)

• Ulaanbaatar’s Electricity Distribution Network Set for Expansion. (ANN)

CULTURE & LIFESTYLE

• Detroit Lakes Riders Cover 200 Miles by Camel in Mongolia’s Gobi Desert. (DetroitLakesTribune)

• German Game Set in 13th-Century Mongolia Lets Players Deliver Packages on Horseback. (InvenGlobal)

• Mongolian-Born Oyuna Uranchimeg Shines on U.S. Wheelchair Curling Team for 2026 Paralympics. (TEAMUSA)

• Mongolian Political Party Hosts CS2 Tournament Open Only to Members. (SheepEsports)

• Flyweight Nyamjargal Tumendemberel Wins by Unanimous Decision Over Cody Durden at UFC 326. (UFC)

🇲🇳 How Does Mongolia Really Measure Up? 

Now that the International Women’s Day celebrations have settled, it’s a good time to look past the flowers and speeches. We hear a lot about programs supporting women in the workforce here in Mongolia, but how do we actually stack up on the global stage? Let’s take a look at the 2026 Women, Business and the Law (WBL) Index to see the real story.

📌 So, what’s the WBL Index anyway?

Think of the World Bank’s WBL Index as a "stress test" for the legal and economic hurdles women face. It scores 190 countries out of 100 based on three things: the laws on the books, the systems meant to support them, and most importantly how those laws actually play out in real life.

🤥 The "Untouchable" Equality

Essentially, this is a report card for economic gender equality. It’s about more than just getting a job; it covers everything from starting a business and owning property to staying safe.

• 🤯 The global gap: On average, women around the world only have about two-thirds of the economic rights that men do. With global scores hitting a low 47 for "support systems," it’s clear that even when laws exist, the institutions meant to back them up are often missing in action.

🔻 Mongolia’s Score: A 7-Point Drop in 7 Years 

Here’s the tough part: While Mongolia’s legal foundation for women’s rights actually scores above the global average, we are moving in the wrong direction. Our current score of 76 is 7 points lower than it was seven years ago. We’ve slipped to 74th place globally dropping three spots just since 2020.

• ☔️ Why are we losing ground? The World Bank recently raised the bar by adding two critical new categories: Safety and Childcare. Unfortunately, this is where Mongolia hit a wall. Our systems for keeping women safe and providing reliable childcare scored poorly, showing a major gap between what our laws promise and what families actually experience.

• 🤔 Where’s the real bottleneck? One of the biggest issues holding us back is our pension system. As it stands, the current setup leaves women at a much higher risk of falling into poverty as they get older.

Furthermore, while our laws look okay on paper, the "support systems" to make them work scored a failing 47.9. It’s a stark reminder that many women still don’t feel fully protected at work or in public, and the lack of quality, regulated childcare is making it harder for moms to stay in the game. We’ve made progress, but we can't afford to be complacent. There’s still a mountain of work to do to turn those legal "promises" into daily reality.

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Publisher: Ts.Ankhbayar
Writer: M.Khulan
Graphics by: Ts.Tselmeg

Disclaimer: The information Inside Mongolia provides is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended to be or constitute financial advice, trading advice, or any other advice. The decision whether to consider the information we provide is solely our readers' independent decision.