KIEV, Sept. 26 - Ukraine expects prices of natural gas imports next year will not grow more than $15 per 1,000 cubic meters, Economy Minister Anatoliy Kinakh said Wednesday, citing the draft 2008 budget.

MOSCOW, Sept 25 - Fitch Ratings has affirmed Bank Khreschatyk's ratings at foreign and local currency issuer default 'B', short-term 'B', individual 'D/E' and support '4'. The outlooks on the issuer default ratings remain stable.

KIEV, Sept. 25 ??“ Ukrainian mobile operators serviced 83% of the Ukrainian population as of late August, 4.6 percentage points more than a month earlier.

KIEV, Sept. 26 - The World Bank and the State Export-Import Bank of Ukraine (Ukreximbank) signed a guaranteed loan agreement in Kiev on Tuesday on a second export development project, in which Ukreximbank will receive a $154.4 million loan.

KIEV, Sept. 26 ??“ Will Ukraine??™s largest steelmaker see yet another ownership change? The answer appears to be ???yes,??? at least State Property Fund Chairwoman Valentyna Semeniuk has her way.

KIEV, Sept. 26 - Russian oil company Lukoil is under investigation in Ukraine for creating a joint venture that may have illegally redistributed major petrochemical assets in its favor, the Prosecutor General Office said Monday. Lukoil apparently managed to boost its stake in its Ukrainian petrochemical assets to 76% from 52%

KIEV, Sept. 26 - The Ukrainian Antimonopoly Committee has given the thumbs-up to Cyprus-based System Capital Management Limited to acquire Farlep-Invest, the managing company of the Farlep telecommunications holding, the AMC's press service told Interfax-Ukraine.

KIEV, Sept. 26 -- The International Finance Corporation, the private sector financing arm of the World Bank Group, has provided a $10 mln loan to Sandora Ltd., a leading Ukrainian juice producer, the IFC announced, according to Interfax-Ukraine.

KIEV, Sept. 26 - MALTEUROP Ukraine, Ukraine??™s largest malt producer, will officially launch two malt houses at ribbon cuttings in Chernihiv on Sept. 26 and in Kharkiv on Sept. 27, the company announced, according to Interfax-Ukraine.

KIEV, Sept. 26 - System Capital Management (SCM), a diversified group owned by Rinat Akhmetov, Ukraine's wealthiest businessman, withdrew its bid for 49% stake in Erdemir, the largest Turkish steelmaker, the group said in a statement Monday.