IVANO-FRANKIVSK, Sept. 7 - Italy's Antonio Merloni is planning to open a plant in Ivano-Frankivsk in October to manufacture washing machines under the Ardo brand, Roman Tkach, head of Ivano-Frankivsk Regional Administration, said at a local government meeting.

KIEV, Sept. 10 – Kyivmiskbud Holding Company is planning to commission one million square meters of housing by 2010, Kyivmiskbud President Petro Shyliuk said in an interview with the Khreschatyk newspaper.

ODESSA, Sept. 10 - Interpipe plans to invest about $760 million to update its plants in 2007 - 2009, up 5.5% from $720 million planned earlier, the company said at the Interpipe and Partners 2007 conference.

KIEV, Sept. 10 - Kiev-based Fomalgaut-Polimin, a dry construction mix producer, plans to build a plaster blend plant in western Ukraine in two or three years, according to Fomalgaut Group Chairman Serhiy Yershov.

KIEV, Sept. 10 - Jabil Circuit Corporation (the United States, the Netherlands, Britain and Ukraine) on Sept. 12 is to open an electronics plant in the settlement of Rozivka in Zakarpattia region, the company press service has told Interfax-Ukraine.

PARIS, Sept. 11 - The largest banks in Kazakhstan, Russia, and Ukraine continue to perform well, but also face tight liquidity and increased market risks, said Standard & Poor's Ratings Services in a new report titled "Improved Financials At Big Kazakh, Russian And Ukrainian Banks Hurt By Liquidity, Market Risk."

KIEV, Sept. 8 ??“ The cancellation of a law banning the import of cars produced more than eight years ago, a cancellation necessary were Ukraine to join the World Trade Organization, would result in increase in second-hand car imports from 7,000 in 2005 to 10,000 per year, the Economy Ministry forecasts.

KIEV, Sept. 8 - Credit Agricole S.A. has completed the purchase of 99.967% of Kiev??™s Index Bank, an official at the Ukrainian bank told Interfax.

KIEV, Sept. 8 ??“ Ukraine is the only post-Soviet county - other than the Baltic states - where civil and political freedoms are developing, according to a report by U.S. NGO Freedom House.

KIEV, Sept. 8 ??“ Norway's Telenor Company, which owns a 56.51% stake in Kyivstar GSM, has warned investors of a possibly dangerous legal precedent if the Supreme Court of Ukraine recognizes the parity of the votes of Telenor (with a 56.5% stake in Kyivstar) and Storm (a 43.5% stake) in the council of Kyivstar GSM.