KIEV, May 18 – The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development sees potential for the strengthening of the hryvnia against the backdrop of stable prices for steel on the world market, which in turn backs up the country's exports, said EBRD Chief Economist Erik Berglof.

KIEV, May 18 - The National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) says there are reasons to review the official exchange rate of the national currency, the hryvnia, NBU Governor Volodymyr Stelmakh said.

KIEV, May 18 – The real growth of Ukraine's GDP in 2008 will slow down to 5.5%, and in 2009 it will further decline to 5%, from 7.6% in 2007, the RZB Group forecasts.

KIEV, May 19 – Heat generation is of the highest interest to investors in the power industry in Ukraine, while alternative energy is not so interesting due to the absence of legal stimulation, according to AES Ukraine President and Director General and AES Corporation Vice President, Steve Walsh.

KIEV, May 19 - Turkmenistan will continue to supply natural gas to Ukraine through Russia's Gazprom in 2009, said Gurbanmurat Begmuradov, the CEO of Turkmen state bank Khalkbank, who led the Turkmen delegation at an annual meeting of the Board of Governors of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in Kiev last week.

KIEV, May 19 – The net inflow of foreign direct investment into Ukraine in January-March 2008 was $3.365 billion, which is almost four times up year-on-year, according to the State Statistics Committee.

According to the committee, in the first quarter of 2008, foreign investors invested $3.244 billion in direct investments into Ukraine's economy, but at the same time they disposed $239.4 million.

KIEV, May 18 ??“ The National Bank of Ukraine on Friday decided to lower key interest rate by half a percentage point suggesting the bank had not been concerned about inflation pressures.

KIEV, May 18 ??“ Piraeus Bank of Greece signed an agreement on the acquisition of 78% of shares in International Commercial Bank, a small Ukrainian bank, the Greek bank reported on its Web site on Friday.

LVIV, May 18 ??“ Galnaftogaz Concern, one of the largest operators of gasoline stations across Ukraine, and Raiffeisen Bank Aval signed a $50 million loan agreement on May 18, a news agency reported.

KIEV, May 18 ??“ The tender commission for the sale of a 38.14% stake in Komsomolske mine group has declared Illich Steel Mill the winner of the tender.