KIEV, Dec. 6 ??“ Foreign direct investment in the Kiev region, led by Sweden??™s furniture retailer giant IKEA, is expected to increase 44% on the year to $1.2 billion in 2007, a regional administration official said.

Heorhiy Hlinsky, the head of the economy department of the regional state administration, said the FDI is expected to increase to $850 million in 2006.