KIEV, Oct. 6 ??“ Ukraine??™s economy will expand 5.5% this year while inflation will hit 10.2%, the International Center for Prospective Studies, an independent Kiev-based economic think tank, reported on Thursday.

Exports will grow by 7.4%, and imports will grow 15.8% this year. The balance of trade deficit will be $3 billion, or 3% of GDP, Oleksiy Blinov, director of the center??™s economic department, said.