KIEV, Dec. 1 - Ukraine's steel industry reduced finished roll output 18% year-on-year in January-November to 24.417 million tons, the Industrial Policy Ministry reported.

The industry cut roll output 30% year-on-year in January-August, 27% in January-September and 23% in January-October, so the latest figures indicate that the severe decline in the industry is still slowing.

KIEV, Dec. 2 – Ukraine’s gas transport system (GTS) has deteriorated severely, with low levels of efficiency of operation of gas pumping units at compressor stations, and the estimated size of investment for its upgrade and reconstruction is $2.57 billion.

KIEV, Dec. 3 - The government has decided to redirect UAH 100 million, earlier foreseen in the national budget special fund for 2009, from the construction of the Kievska substation, to the completion of the Dnistrovska hydroelectric pumped storage power plant, Fuel and Energy Minister Yuriy Prodan told journalists.

KIEV, Dec. 1 – The National Bank of Ukraine expects that the GDP rise in 2010 will be 3-4% with 10% inflation.

"At present, a certain resumption of economic activity has started, and if the economic policy is balanced, the stabilization of the currency market and GDP growth next year by 3-4% is realistic," reads the NBU report.

KIEV, Dec. 2 - The Ukrainian cabinet has again approved the raising of a state-secured $400 million loan from the Export-Import Bank of China by the Ukrprotez industrial amalgamation to realize an investment project on the purchase of cars for disabled persons.

KIEV, Dec. 3 - Naftogaz Ukrayiny predicted that the Russian natural gas price may increase up to 47% in 2010, more than earlier expected, a source in the government said Thursday.

KIEV, Dec. 3 – The situation on Ukraine's labor market continued to worsen in November, with the number of vacancies falling by 9.5% in comparison to October, while the number of jobseekers rose by almost 12%, reads a report of the job-hunter Web site jooble.com.ua rendered to the Interfax-Ukraine news agency.

KIEV, Dec. 1 - Arcelor Mittal Kryviy Rih (formerly Kryvorizhstal), Ukraine's biggest steel producer, reported roll production down a preliminary 21.9% year-on-year to 5.094 million tons in January-November.

KIEV, Dec. 1 - France's Accor hotel operator has signed an agreement with Universal Investment Group, according to which the companies are to build 25 Etap two-star hotels with 2,800 rooms in Ukraine by 2012.

KIEV, Dec. 2 - Morgan Stanley Bank has sold a part of the debt on a credit worth $930 million of the State Road Service of Ukraine (Ukravtodor) to another company, Vadym Hurzhos, Ukravtodor's head, said in an interview with the Delo newspaper.