Daily monitor

China’s Trade Ministry has announced the imposition of import restrictions on some metallurgical products from Russia and the USA. The official reason for such a decision was price dumping, which Russian and American steel producers practice in their respective local markets. Chinese officials underlined that steel producing companies in the USA are subject to government subsidies and thus, can offer lower prices on their production.

Turboatom [TATM UZ, U/R], a major turbine producer, has announced that it is prepared to participate in the modernization of energy-related objects in Brazil. Within the framework of the Ukrainian-Brazilian Business Forum that was held in Kyiv on December 2, 2009, two main project were discussed.

AvtoKrAZ [KRAZ UZ, N/R] , a Ukrainian producer of heavy duty automobiles, has supplied a shipment of 100 vehicles to Azerbaijan. These autos are intended for use in the process of installation of oil and gas equipment produced domestically in Azerbaijan.

On December 10, information was released to the effect that Astarta [AST PW] will hold a secondary public offering (SPO) for up to 5% of its ordinary shares. The selling party is Aluxes Holding Ltd., the investment vehicle of Valeri Korotkov, who owns a 40.19% stake in the Company.

Компания «Укрэнерго», оператор магистральных электросетей, объявила аукцион на доступ экспортным сечениям электросетей на 2010 год в объеме 1,5 тыс. МВт. Объявленные 1,5 тыс. МВт были разбиты на 18 лотов, среди которых 275 МВт в направлении сети UCTE, 135 МВт в направлении Польши, 275 МВт в направлении Беларуси, 125 МВт в направлении Молдовы и 800 МВт в направлении России. Аукцион должен быть проведен 15 декабря 2009 года.

Most of Ukraine`s largest steel producing companies have revealed their steel output plans for December 2009. According to the information they provided, the total steel output for the entire FY2009 for every company, with the exception of the Yenakievo Steel Mill is expected to be down 14%-24% YoY.

ЕБРР планирует инвестировать 1,1 млрд. евро в проекты в Украине в 2010 г., вчера отметил пресс-секретарь банка. ЕБРР уже инвестировал в Украину около 1 млрд. евро в 2009 году, и 0,8 млрд. евро в 2008 году.

Mariupol Illich Steel Mill’s [MMKI UZ] representatives have announced that the modernization of its #5 blast-furnace, which got underway in October 2008, was successfully completed.

Ukraine’s Cabinet of Ministers reaffirmed that it intends to implement the government School bus program in 2009 at the level of 90%. The government has allocated UAH 150 mln for the program from the state budget. Earlier, Cabmin had approved the purchase of 638 school buses.

Privatbank has announced that it plans to launch 100 to 110 new branches in 2010. A spokesman for Privatbank noted that the offices to be opened will touch nearly all regions of Ukraine. In parallel with the expansion of its branch network, the Bank also confirmed its intention to develop its terminals and ATM network.