KIEV, Sept. 18 – The fall of Ukraine's GDP in 2009 could be 15% with 14.5-15% inflation, the chairman of the Ukrainian accounting Chamber, Valentyn Symonenko, has said.

"We'll see a fall of at least 15% in GDP by the end of the year," he said.

Ukraine's Economy Ministry expects that GDP will fall by 10-12% in 2009.

ALUSHTA (Crimea), Sept. 21 – The hryvnia exchange rate can't be maintained at the current level without the support of the International Monetary Fund, Ihor Mitiukov, the head of the Ukrainian office of Morgan Stanley and a former Ukrainian finance minister has said.

KIEV, Sept. 19 - Ukraine’s power exports to the European Union will probably increase by 4.5% to 4.83 billion kilowatt-hours in 2008, compared with 4.62 billion kWh exported in 2007, according to a forecast released by the government Friday.

KIEV, Sept. 19 - The Energy and Fuel Ministry wants to merge assets of UkrgazVydobuvannia (UGV) and ChornomorNaftoGaz, Ukraine’s state-owned No. 1 and No. 3 biggest producers of natural gas, the ministry reported Friday.

MOSCOW, Sept. 20 - Moody's Investors Service announced it has upgraded the global local currency long-term and short-term deposit ratings of Indexbank (Ukraine) to Baa1/P-2 as result of the successful acquisition of a 99.9% stake of the latter by Credit Agricole (CA).

BERLIN, Sept. 20 ??“ Dnipropetrovsk-based Nyzhniodniprovsky pipe-rolling plant has agreed on large-scale cooperation with the world's largest railway car manufacturer ??“ Bombardier of Canada ??“ in implementing large joint projects.

KIEV, Sept. 20 - The Interpipe Corporation's Nyzhniodniprovsky Pipe Plant announced plans to export $70 million in railway wheels to non-CIS countries in 2006, rising to $100 million in 2007.

KIEV, Sept. 21 ??“ Ukrzaliznytsia, the state Railway Administration of Ukraine, is ready to transport cargo under the unified CIM/SMGS consignment note, if all railway administrations that are involved in transporting (sender, receiver and transit states) give their agreement.

KIEV, Sept. 21 - Transit of natural gas through Ukraine amounted to 86.2 bcm in January-August, 5.4% less than in the same period in 2005.

KIEV, Sept. 21 - By the end of 2007, AVentures Group is planning to open around 500 Piatachok stores in Ukraine, 100-120 Unitrade stores, and 40 City.com hypermarkets, the company reported, citing AVentures Group holding's president Volodymyr Kolodiuk.