KYIV, Nov 24 - Infrastructure construction projects may become a driver for development of commercial real estate in Ukraine in 2018, if they are subject to support by government-funded programs and joined by international investors, a local official said.

KIEV, Nov. 25 - Capital investment in Ukraine decreased by 6% in Q3, while in the first half of 2015 it declined by 9.2%, in the first quarter - 14.8%, and in 2014 - 24.1%, the State Statistics Service reported.

KIEV, Nov. 25 – The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development is acquiring 30% of Raiffeisen Bank Aval (RBA, Kiev), the EBRD and RBA said in a joint press release.

KIEV, Nov. 26 – The State Property Fund has called a meeting of the supervisory board of state-run Odessa Port-Side Plant to analyze its operations, taking into account recent corruption accusations, SPF head Ihor Bilous has said.

KIEV, Nov. 25 - Roshen Confectionery Corporation has started building a new caramel production line on the territory of the second stage of Vinnytsia confectionery factory, commissioned in 2012.

The press service of the corporation told Interfax-Ukraine that the new facility would specialize in the production of caramel sweets. Roshen has not disclosed other details of the project.

DNIPROPETROVSK, Nov. 26 - ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih (Dnipropetrovsk region) plans to invest over $320 million in the reconstruction of sinter shops Nos. 1 and 2 of its sinter and blast furnace department by the end of 2020.

MOSCOW, Nov. 26 - The Central Bank of Russia announced it has banned several divisions of Ukrainian banks from doing business in Crimea and Sevastopol due to failure to honor liabilities to creditors or depositors.

BRUSSELS, Nov. 26 - A shortage of coal, rather than gas, is likely to plunge Ukraine into freezing darkness this winter as conflict in its east seals off supplies that used to make it self sufficient, Reuters reported.

KIEV, Nov. 25 – Interpipe pipe and wheel producer (Dnipropetrovsk) in October initiated negotiations with creditor banks for restructuring its bank debt of $106 million.

KIEV, Nov. 26 – One should not expect that foreign investment will flow in the conditions of an unstable foreign policy, European Business Association Executive Director Anna Derevyanko said.