KIEV, Oct. 25 – The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development has lowered its GDP growth forecast for Ukraine in 2012 to 1% from 2.5%, according to the EBRD's pre-election overview of Ukraine's economy.

The EBRD projects that average annual inflation in 2012 will be 4% against a previous forecast of 1.5%.

KIEV, Oct. 25 – Trade in commodities between Ukraine and Russia in the first nine months of 2012 hit $33.5 billion due to liberalization and facilitation of customs procedures, according to Ukraine State Customs Service Chief Ihor Kaletnik.

VINNYTSIA region, Oct. 25 - Smart-Energy, which is developing the energy business of Smart-holding, has commissioned the first phase of a pellet plant in Turbiv, Vinnytsia region.

The capacity of the first phase is 75,000 tons of pellets per year. In 2013, the plant's capacity will be expanded to 150,000 tons per year.

KIEV, Oct. 25 – Fitch international rating agency has said it is alarmed at the absence of a strategy for the development of banks that were recapitalized using budget funds, the director of the financial organizations department at Fitch, Olha Ihnatyeva, said at the Fitch Rating in Ukraine seventh annual conference in Kiev on Wednesday.

KIEV, Oct. 25 – The hryvnia exchange rate could devaluate by 10% in 2013, according to projections of Raiffeisen Bank Aval presented in its quarterly report.

KIEV, Oct. 28 - Kiev Economic Court has canceled an agreement on the sale and purchase of a 76% stake in OJSC Luhanskteplovoz Holding, which was signed with Bryansk Engineering Plant managing company (Russia) on June 29, 2010.

KIEV, Oct. 28 - Naftogaz Ukrayiny, Ukraine’s national energy company, will have to pay about $1 billion to Gazprom of Russia before Nov. 7 for gas imported in October, Yuriy Kolbushkin, deputy chairman at Naftogaz, said Thursday.

KIEV, Oct. 27 – The International Monetary Fund insists on a less drastic cut in profit tax than that foreseen in the draft Tax Code passed by Parliament at first reading, according to Vitaly Khomutynnyk, the head of Parliament's committee for tax and customs policy.

KIEV, Oct. 27 – The deficit of the current account of Ukraine's balance of payments in September 2010 more than halved compared to August: from $565 million to $259 million, according to Valeriy Lytvytsky, the head of the group of advisors to the National Bank of Ukraine governor.

KIEV, Oct. 26 – The position of Ukraine's armored vehicle industry is seen as the most promising among all branches of national industry, the Ukrainian Industry Ministry said on Monday, following a council held by Industry Minister Volodymyr Novytsky at Malyshev Plant in Kharkiv last week.