Daily monitor

For the first three quarters of 2008, Ukraine’s Bank Forum [FORM UZ, N/R] has reported an increase in net profits by 87.5% on the year to UAH 68.9 mln (equivalent to USD 13.43 mln or EUR 9.83 mln).

According to statistics reported by the Interfax-Ukraine news agency, Ukrainian enterprises belonging to the Dyckerhoff Zement Group increased production for the period January-August 2008 by 8.6%, compared to the same period in 2007. The total production for this period was 1,845 mln metric tons

The PFTS Index Committee has approved changes to the PFTS index basket and a new methodology for calculating the index basket. These changes will come into effect as of October 15 and October 13 respectively.

The State Statistics Committee of Ukraine has announced that real GDP in January-September 2008 grew 6.9% YoY. At the same time, real GDP in September 2008 grew 5.5% YoY after a 10.9% YoY growth in August. The earlier-released figures for January-August 2008 announced 7.1% YoY growth.

On Wednesday, the international rating agency Standard & Poor’s announced that it had revised its outlook about the long-term counterparty credit ratings of three Ukrainian banks from ‘stable’ to ‘negative’.

AZOVMASH intends to deliver furnace-charging equipment that is 4.2 m in diameter to the Dunaferr Metallurgical Plant (Budapest, Hungary) in 2009.

On October 10, Turboatom [TATM UZ, HOLD] won a tender for the modernization of the K-200-130 turbines at the Luhansk TPP (Thermal Power Plant) and the Kurahovskaya TPP.

According to the publication Business-Credit, the pharmaceutical market in Ukraine grew 42% in 1H2008in terms of cash value, reaching USD 1.621 bln. In terms of volume, the market grew by 7% to 0.680 mln units in the same period.

Ukrnafta [UNAF UZ, Strong BUY] announced that an AGM will take place on December 02. According to Ukrainian News, the meeting’s agenda is packed with important items.

On October 13, Bagliy Coke [BKOK UZ, U/R] may have started to shut down its coke battery No. 7-bis. For more than two years, since 2005, the brand new coke battery, with a 490 thsd tpa capacity, had been in a hot idling mode until being launched on July 30, 2008.