KIEV, March 19 – The new customs code contains a number of provisions aimed at simplifying the work of businesses, which could help improve the investment climate in Ukraine, according to Ihor Dankov, the senior manager for taxation and customs regulations at the Pricewaterhouse international audit company in Ukraine.

KIEV, March 18 – The growth of Ukraine's gross domestic product will slow down to 4% in 2011 from 4.2% in 2010, while inflation (December over December) will accelerate to 11% from 9.1%, according to Moody's Investors Service.

MOSCOW, March 21 – Russia's VEB Capital and VTB Capital are to organize the attraction of a financing package worth $300 million for infrastructure projects in Kiev, an advisor of VEB Capital's director general for the CIS, Andrei Krasnopoyas, said at a CIS forum.

KIEV, March 19 - The owners of Zaporizhstal intend to sell their combined stake of 96.7% in one of Ukraine's biggest steel mills, alerting the likes of ArcelorMittal, a South Korean steel company and Ukraine's own biggest steel magnate, Rinat Akhmetov, a source told Interfax.

KIEV, March 18 - Ukraine could offer LPNs in May or June, but the volume of any placement has yet to be decided, Deputy Finance Minister Andriy Kravets said at a briefing.

However Ukraine will have to pass its 2010 budget and resume cooperation with the International Monetary Fund first, Kravets said.

KIEV, March 18 - Fitch Ratings has revised its outlooks for nine Ukrainian banks to Stable from Negative and affirmed all of the ratings, according to a report from the agency.

KIEV, March 19 – The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development has launched a research project to study the consequences of the migration of Ukrainian workers to European Union countries in order to determine its influence on the Ukrainian economy, German international broadcaster Deutsche Welle reported on Friday.

KIEV, March 21 ??“ Italy's largest industrial group, Finmeccanica, may increase cooperation with Ukraine's aviation and space companies, according to the National Space Agency of Ukraine.

Ukraine has offered Finmeccanica to take part in the development of new spacecraft and their components and confirmed its intention to join the projects of the Seventh Framework Program for research and technological development of the EU.

KIEV, March 21 ??“ METRO Group, one of the world??™s largest retailers, on Wednesday reported its sales in Ukraine had skyrocketed almost 82% on the year in 2006 outpacing the growth in Russia and China.

KIEV, March 21 - Moody's Investors Service has assigned a B3 long-term senior unsecured debt rating as well as a Baa3.ua national scale rating (NSR) to hryvnia-denominated bonds to be issued by Credit-Dnepr Bank, the agency reported.