Daily monitor

The government of Ukraine has announced a pension hike for 10 mln Ukrainian citizens. The increase will be between UAH 75 and UAH 100 (USD 15.5-20.6) for each recipient.

The State Statistics Committee of Ukraine announced that unemployment in June fell to 1.9% compared to 2% in May and 2.2% in April 2008.

JSC Vinnytsyamyaso [VINM, N/R], the Ukrainian producer of meat, canned meat, meat by-products and sausages, has increased production by 20.6% YoY in June, up to USD 2.6 mln.

The Deputy Head of the President’s Office in Ukraine has announced that Ukraine can export a total of 15 mln mt of grain in 2008/09, which implies a USD 4 bln (vs. USD 0.8 bln in 2006/07).

The Ukrainian cement plants of Dyckerhoff Zement International increased cement output by 8.7% YoY to 1067 thsd tons in Jan-May.

The State Statistics Committee of Ukraine released figures on real industrial output growth in June 2008.

Unimilk, a part of Unimilk Ukraine, released its financial results for April – June 2008.

In 1H08, JSC Kredmash increased the output of asphalt mixing machines by 36.4% YoY, up to 60 units.

Sumy Frunze (SMASH, N/R), one of largest European producers of equipment for the oil and gas and the chemical industries doubled its orders, which accounted for USD 720 mln by July 15, relative to the same period last year.

Energy holding DTEK, which is a part of SCM Group, and Erste Bank Austria and Erste Bank Ukraine agreed on EUR 50 mln of standby financing, aimed at supporting DTEK’s M&A activity in coal and electricity industry.