KIEV, Sept. 23 – The large rise in excise rates is leading to a doubling in the prices of excised products and leads to a rise in demand for smuggled alcohol and cigarettes, President of the Ukrainian Commercial and Industrial Confederation (UCIC), Volodymyr Demchak, said at a roundtable on the increase in tax pressure via a rise in excise rates on consumer goods in conditions of a fall in buying power of the public, which was held in Kiev on Monday.

KIEV, Sept. 23 – State-owned Ukragroleasing has signed a contract with Canada's SNC-Lavalin International Inc. on the supply of elevators and milk tankers worth up to $600 million using funds of a state-secured credit of the Export Development Canada (EDC).

KIEV, Sept. 24 – National Nuclear Generating Company EnergoAtom and Russia's AtomStroyExport are discussing a full financing of the completion of construction of reactor three and reactor four of Khmelnytsky nuclear power plant by Russia.

IVANO-FRANKIVSK, Sept. 24 - Antonio Merloni (Italy) is intending to invest EUR40 million in the construction of a refrigerator plant in Ivano-Frankivsk, according to Halyna Rymaruk, the director of Ukrainian Home Appliances Ltd. (Ukrainska Pobutova Tekhnika) a 100% Italian-owned company.

KIEV, Sept. 24 – UkrNafta, Ukraine’s largest oil producer, and SOCAR, Azerbaijan’s state oil company, may create a joint venture to refine Caspian Sea crude oil at two oil refineries in Ukraine, a top official said Wednesday.

KIEV, Sept. 22 – The sale of up to a 69% stake in Kiev-based Borschahivka chemical and pharmaceutical plant is scheduled for Oct. 28, the company reported.

Taking into account the total issued shares (10,351), the 69% stake is estimated to be worth $144.21 million.

KIEV, Sept. 23 – The World Bank is working on a review of its macro economic forecasts for Ukraine for 2009, taking into account the situation on the international financial markets, Martin Raiser, Director for Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova said at a press conference on Tuesday.

KIEV, Sept. 23 – The volume of auto loans issued in August fell by 13% compared to July due to the toughening of the credit policy of banks, coupled with a rise in interest rates and down payments, the Auto-Consulting analytical group reported.

ALUSHTA, Sept. 23 – In 2008, the number of defaults on bonds issued by construction companies will grow to 14-15, compared to six last year, according to the director general of the Credit-Rating agency, Stanyslav Dubko.

KIEV, Sept. 20 – Ukraine’s Ministry for Housing and Utilities Economy plans to raise a $140-million loan from the World Bank under its Municipal Infrastructure Development project, the head of the ministry's department for international ties and coordination of technical assistance Oleg Khusnutdinov said at a press conference in Kiev on Thursday.