KIEV, Nov. 26 – The strengthening of the hryvnia exchange rate will continue at least until late 2009, according to experts polled by Interfax-Ukraine.

According to the director of the financial markets department at Finance and Credit Bank, Andriy Voitenko, the hryvnia exchange rate could strengthen to UAH 7.60-7.80/$1 before the start of the presidential election.

KIEV, Nov. 26 - Deputy Economy Minister Valeriy Piatnytsky has denied a report posted on the Ukraine and the WTO websites on Wednesday claiming that Ukraine has allegedly pulled out of bilateral talks on Russia's accession to the WTO.

KIEV, Nov. 25 – Stoppage of construction of up to 70% of houses is possible in Ukraine by late 2008 due to the economic crisis, the board chairman of Kiev-based XXI Century developing company and board chairman of the Ukrainian Construction Association, Lev Partskhaladze, has said.

ODESSA, Nov. 23 - Cargo turnover at Odessa maritime merchant port was 26 million tons in January through October, a 10.4% rise year-on-year.

KIEV, Nov. 23 - Nuclear experts from Japan, France, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Russia and Ukraine during a seminar held at the Rivne Nuclear Power Plant from Nov. 20 through Nov. 23 exchanged experience in prolonging the operating lives of nuclear plants, according to EnergoAtom.

KIEV, Nov. 23 - Ukrainian tax bodies deny reports about attempts to seize Naftogaz Ukrayiny property or accounts.

KIEV, Nov. 26 - Rubizhne Cardboard Packaging Mill in Luhansk region, one of Ukraine's largest cardboard packaging producers, has attracted a EUR60 million credit from the London branch of Citibank N.A., Deutsche Investitions und Entwicklungsgesellschaft (DEG, part of KfW Group in Germany) and Investkredit Bank (Austria), said Rubizhne Mill Director General Hennadiy Minin.

KIEV, Nov. 26 - Shell has decided not to proceed with a recently signed Memorandum of Understanding for exclusive negotiations with Regal Petroleum plc and potential $410-million deal regarding Ukraine assets, Shell said in a statement.

KIEV, Nov. 26 - Ukraine seeks to increase payments it charges mining companies for extracting iron ore from its soil, according to a bill drafted by the Finance Ministry.

The payments are expected to increase by 40% to 1.5 hryvnias ($0.3) per metric ton of iron ore, according to the bill posted on the ministry’s website.

KIEV, Nov. 23 ??“ The World Bank has decided to lift the suspension on the $60 million TB and HIV/AIDS Control Project and to resume project implementation.