KIEV, Oct. 1 - Ukraine's steel industry reduced finished roll output 1% year-on-year in the first nine months of 2008 to 26.601 million tons, the Industrial Policy Ministry told Interfax.

Roll production continues to slow: it jumped 6% year-on-year in the first half of 2008, but 4% in the first seven months and just 2% in the first eight months.

Ukraine produced 31.618 million tons of crude steel in the nine months, also 1% less year-on-year.