Daily monitor

Astarta [AST PW, BUY], is planning to launch bioethanol production at its Yaresivskiy sugar plant. According to Mr. Ivanchyk, the CEO of the Astarta holding, work has been started and its planned output capacities can reach 200 cubic meters per day. Currently, the estimated total value of the project is not finalized and will be defined in the process.

The gross external debt grew 42.0% or USD 31.2 bln between October 2007 and October 2009 and reached USD 105.4 bln.

The CA deficit in Ukraine shrunk in 3Q08 to USD 1.6 bln; a 47.5% decrease compared to the CA deficit in 2Q08 of USD 3.0 bln. The trade balance deficit has contracted to USD 2.1 bln, compared to USD 3.6 bln in 2Q08. The financial account surplus was not altered substantially, staying around USD 2.3 bln. Foreign direct investment fell to USD 3.4 bln, compared to USD 3.8 bln last quarter.

The State Statistics Committee of Ukraine revealed that, in November, revenues of enterprises providing communications services fell by 5.2% in hryvnia terms compared with October, from roughly UAH 3,910 mln to UAH 3,705 mln.

Astarta [AST PW, BUY] has reached an agreement on selling its carbonic credits to the International Fund of Carbonic Credits that was founded by the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development in cooperation with the European Investment Bank.

Ukraine’s Parliament has taken a decision to restrict TV advertising of drugs, medical equipment, methods of preventing medical problems, diagnostics, healing and rehabilitation, as well as all medical services.

According to data released by the State Statistics Committee of Ukraine, cement production fell by 18.6% to 957,000 metric tons in November 2008, compared with the production level achieved in November 2007. In the same period, slate production in Ukraine dropped by 15.4% to roughly 49 mln tiles. For the purposes of this calculation, slate includes corrugated plates, slate and other asbestos cement products.

The Provisional Administrator of Prominvestbank Volodymyr Krotiuk intends to suggest that the Cabinet of Ministers, the EBRD and the IFC become shareholders in Prominvestbank and take part in its financial recovery.

A new initiative whereby Ukrainian subscribers may be able to change from one telephone operator to another while still maintaining their same number and national roaming service thanks to the introduction of Ukraine’s parliament of draft law No. 3420 “On amending the Law of Ukraine “On Telecommunications” (to increase the list of services)” of 28.11.2008.

Ukrainian deputies extended the ban on bankruptcies in the energy sector until January 1, 2011. The Law on Amendments to the Law of Ukraine "On measures aimed at ensuring the stable functioning of the fuel and energy complex” was supported by 381 of 450 people's deputies in Parliament on Tuesday.