Daily monitor

According to Ukranews, as of October 3, 2008 Ukraine’s agricultural farms harvested an overall amount of 45.43 mln mt of grain and leguminous plants. According to Ukranews, as of October 3, 2008 Ukraine’s agricultural farms harvested an overall amount of 45.43 mln mt of grain and leguminous plants.

Ferrexpo PLC [FXPO LN, N/R] announced in an October 06 shareholder disclosure that Fevamotinico S.a.r.l. sold 20.8% of Ferrexpo’s shares to RPG Industries SE, the majority owner of New World Resources NV [NWR LN], a Czech coal producer.

Due to the current crisis on steel markets, we have put all Ukrainian steelmakers under review. Due to the current crisis on steel markets, we have put all Ukrainian steelmakers under review.

Krasnodonvugillya, the main coking coal producer of the Metinvest Group, has been shut down after an October 04 methane blast at one of its mines, Duvannaya, killed 6 miners. Krasnodonvugillya, the main coking coal producer of the Metinvest Group, has been shut down after an October 04 methane blast at one of its mines, Duvannaya, killed 6 miners.

The National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) announced that its foreign reserves fell USD 533.98 mln (1.4% MoM) in September and reached USD 37.53 bln.

Kyivmedpreparat [KMED UZ, U/R], the leading antibiotics pharmaceutical producer in Ukraine and a member of the Arterium Corporation, decided to increase its share capital by UAH 100 mln, up to the level of UAH 200.1 mln.

President Viktor Yushchenko effectively unblocked the privatization of a number of large Ukrainian state-controlled companies, the details of which are which are outlined in Decree #874 and #878, both dated September 29.

Zaporizhstal [ZPST UZ, Strong BUY] decreased crude steel output to 283 thsd mt in September, according to Interfax-Ukraine, down 23% from the average 8M08 level of 365 thsd mt per month.

According to Interfax-Ukraine, Dniprovsky Iron & Steel Works named after Dzerzhinsky, or simply Dzerzhynka [DMKD UZ, BUY], produced 217 thsd mt of steel in August, down as much as 63% from the 8M08 average of 316 thsd mt.

Oleh Dubina, the CEO of Naftohaz of Ukraine, hopes that the natural gas price for Ukraine does not exceed USD 300 per thsd cbm in 2009.