Daily monitor

According to an official press release made by Astarta on the Warsaw Stock Exchange, the company has received permission from the ABN AMRO Bank for an extension to its USD 25 mln loan for another 12 months until October 8, 2009.

Sumy Frunze [SMASH UZ, N/R], intends to deliver compressor equipment to the Russian gas monopolist Gazprom. An order was placed in the amount of USD 70 mln, for completion by April 2009.

Brunswick Rail Leasing (Russia) plans to buy at least 2 thsd railcars from Stakhaniv Railcar Works [SVGZ UZ, BUY], from amongst its production in 2009.

According to the updated forecast of Kingsman, a UK-based consulting agency, the world sugar deficit will deepen to 4.7 mln mt (+42% YoY) in the 2008/09 marketing year.

The Bogdan Corporation and the Skoda Transportation Company (Czech Republic) have established a joint company "Bogdan" - Skoda Transportation".

After consultations with major political forces on Wednesday, October 8, 2008, President of Ukraine Viktor Yuschenko dismissed the Ukrainian Parliament.

According to Ukraine’s Mintopenergo (Ministry of Fuel and Energy), the electricity production of Ukraine’s Unified Energy System (OES) totaled 145,342,300,000 kWh for the period January-September 2008, which is 2.3% more than for the period January-September 2007.

The State Property Fund (SPF) plans to sell its 11% stake in the Mariupol Heavy Machinery [MZVM UZ, BUY].

According to the information released on Tuesday, October 7, the Council of the National Bank of Ukraine reconsidered the target rates for the UAH vs the USD.

Dakor [DAKOR UZ, N/R], a Ukrainian vertically integrated sugar producer with a land bank of 122 thsd ha, is going to produce a total of 110 thsd mt of sugar in the 2008/09 marketing year.