KIEV, Sept. 21 – The Ukrainian government has extended the deadline by 40 days for concluding production sharing agreements with U.S.-based Chevron and Shell on the production of hydrocarbons on the Yuzovska and Oleske fields.

BRUSSELS, Sept. 21 – The European Investment Bank will grant Ukraine a credit worth EUR 200 million for the renovation of hydropower plants.

Energy and Coal Industry Minister Yuriy Boiko and EIB Director Heinz Olbers signed a relevant agreement between the EIB and Ukrhydroenergo in Brussels on Friday.

SYNKIV (Ternopil region), Sept. 24 - Attempts to dispute Naftogaz Ukrayiny’s contract with Russia's Gazprom on gas purchases in 2009-2019 will end in failure for Kiev, so the only option is to reduce gas purchases, though this is also fraught with risks, said Dmytro Firtash the co-owner of gas trader RosUkrEnergo.

KIEV, Sept. 24 – The National Bank of Ukraine, following its application of sanctions against the banks that provoked a fall of the hryvnia on the interbank market in early September, plans to punish banks for misusing their power on the cash market, according to NBU Governor Serhiy Arbuzov.

GENEVA, Sept. 24 - Ukraine has reportedly told its trading partners it wants to raise maximum tariffs on hundreds of imported goods, a move that could unleash protectionist forces and may even pose a threat to the $18 trillion global trade system.

LONDON/MOSCOW, Sept. 24 - Fitch Ratings has downgraded Ukraine-based OJSC Naftogaz's Long-term foreign and local currency Issuer Default ratings to 'C' from 'CC.’

Both ratings remain on Rating Watch Negative (RWN). Fitch has simultaneously downgraded the senior unsecured rating on Naftogaz's USD500m eurobond to 'C' from 'CC' and removed it from RWN. The Recovery Rating (RR) on the eurobond is 'RR4'.

KIEV, Sept. 24 - Naftogaz Ukrayiny, the state oil and gas company, on Thursday tried to persuade international holders of its $500 million eurobond to reschedule the debt for five years through October 2014.

KIEV, Sept. 24 – The hryvnia gained slightly against the U.S. dollar on Thursday after the National Bank of Ukraine released data showing the country’s current account deficit in August had narrowed from July.

KIEV, Sept. 23 – The large rise in excise rates is leading to a doubling in the prices of excised products and leads to a rise in demand for smuggled alcohol and cigarettes, President of the Ukrainian Commercial and Industrial Confederation (UCIC), Volodymyr Demchak, said at a roundtable on the increase in tax pressure via a rise in excise rates on consumer goods in conditions of a fall in buying power of the public, which was held in Kiev on Monday.

KIEV, Sept. 23 – State-owned Ukragroleasing has signed a contract with Canada's SNC-Lavalin International Inc. on the supply of elevators and milk tankers worth up to $600 million using funds of a state-secured credit of the Export Development Canada (EDC).