KIEV, Dec. 5 - Ukraine’s steel sector, the backbone of the country’s economy, has been gradually increasing production after receiving more orders over the past four weeks, a state-owned steel industry analysis group reported Friday.

KIEV, Dec. 4 – Ukraine International Airlines is to buy out a minority stockholding of its own stocks from Ireland’s Aer Cap.

The decision was taken by the company's stockholders at a meeting that ended on Tuesday, UIA's press service said.

KIEV, Dec. 4 – Moody's Investors Service has confirmed Donetsk-based DTEK's Corporate Family Rating at B2 with a stable outlook, DTEK said in a statement.

KIEV, Dec. 4 – Spending of forex reserves should be restrained in order not to considerably cut hryvnia liquidity in conditions of economic recession, according to Valeriy Lytvytsky, the head of the group of advisers to the governor of the National Bank of Ukraine.

KIEV, Dec. 7 - Ukrainian refineries cut oil refining by 25.9%, or 4.224 million tons, from January through November 2006 compared to January- November 2005, to 12.106 million tons, the energy and fuel ministry said.

KIEV, Dec. 7 ??“ Power generation in Ukraine rose by 3.8% in January through November year-on-year, to 173.654 billion kWh, the Fuel and Energy Ministry reported on Thursday.

KIEV, Dec. 7 ??“ Troika Dialog, a major Russian investment bank that focuses on Russian assets, has advised the investors to buy shares of Ukrtelecom due to its significant potential for a growth.

KIEV, Dec. 6 - The transit of natural gas via Ukraine fell 5.9% year-on-year to 116.9 billion cubic meters in January-November 2006, the PR department of UkrTransGaz, the operator of Ukraine's gas transportation system, said in a statement.

KIEV, Dec. 6 ??“ Zaporizhstal, Ukraine??™s third largest steel mill, plans to raise $150 million for technical retooling on the international market in 2007, using a syndicated lending and through export and credit agencies, officials said.

KIEV, Dec. 6 ??“ The Board of Directors at the European Bank for Reconstruction and approved a $150 million loan for the construction a co-generation plant at Alchevsk steel mill in Luhansk region.