KIEV, Dec 25 (Reuters) - Ukraine's trade deficit may be almost halved next year to $7.1 billion against an expected $13.3 billion this year, Economy Minister Bohdan Danylyshyn said in a statement on Thursday.
The trade gap, boosted by steep price rises in Russian gas imports, is the main driver of the current account gap, which in turn is a factor in the fast depreciating hryvnia currency.
Analysts however expect imports to slow as Ukraine's economy goes into recession next year.
2009 2008 2007
GDP (pct) +0.4 +1.8-2.5 +7.6
CPI (pct) +9.5 +21.9 +16.6
PPI (pct) +12.0 +21.1 +23.3
Jobless (pct) +8.5-9.0 +6.7-7.2 +6.4
Trade gap ($bln) 7.084 13.293 7.876
Export ($bln) 82.418 85.647 64.001
y/y pct -3.8 +33.8 +27.4
Import ($bln) 89.502 98.940 71.877
y/y pct -9.5 +37.1 +34.8
(Writing by Sabina Zawadzki; editing by Michael Roddy) Keywords: UKRAINE TRADE/ (Kiev bureau; tel: +380 44 244 9150; RM: sabina.zawadzki.reuters.com@reuters.net) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2008. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.
The trade gap, boosted by steep price rises in Russian gas imports, is the main driver of the current account gap, which in turn is a factor in the fast depreciating hryvnia currency.
Analysts however expect imports to slow as Ukraine's economy goes into recession next year.
2009 2008 2007
GDP (pct) +0.4 +1.8-2.5 +7.6
CPI (pct) +9.5 +21.9 +16.6
PPI (pct) +12.0 +21.1 +23.3
Jobless (pct) +8.5-9.0 +6.7-7.2 +6.4
Trade gap ($bln) 7.084 13.293 7.876
Export ($bln) 82.418 85.647 64.001
y/y pct -3.8 +33.8 +27.4
Import ($bln) 89.502 98.940 71.877
y/y pct -9.5 +37.1 +34.8
(Writing by Sabina Zawadzki; editing by Michael Roddy) Keywords: UKRAINE TRADE/ (Kiev bureau; tel: +380 44 244 9150; RM: sabina.zawadzki.reuters.com@reuters.net) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2008. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.