• The Ukrainian economy grew by 1.8 percent in the third quarter, Ukrainskaya Pravda reported. GDP rose 0.4 percent from the third quarter of 2015.

• The Ukraine's trade balance surplus declined almost fivefold in the first nine months of 2016, Ukrainskaya Pravda reported. Imports of goods and services dropped 0.8 percent, while exports of goods and services fell 7.8 percent.

• Kyiv (Zhulyany) International Airport saw a 60 percent increase in passenger flow in October in comparison with last October's total, as reported by Novoe Vremya. For the month, the airport served 93,600 passengers on international flights and 7,500 passengers on domestic flights.

• According to a report in Ukrainskaya Pravda, Ukrainian flour is being sent to the American market for the first time in five years. A shipment was sent from the Kulindrov baked goods factory Nov. 11.

• A major international ports operator is seeking to set up in Ukraine, as reported by Ukrainskaya Pravda. It quoted Infrastructure Minister Vladimir Omelian, who said Ukraine is negotiating with Hutchison Ports and with DP World. Omelian said if the two companies come to Ukraine, other global port operators are likely to follow.

• Ratings agency Fitch noted that Ukraine has become less dependent on financing from abroad. The report was transmitted by Interfax Ukraine. Fitch also remarked that routine restructuring of the country's financial obligations has become less risky.

• The government is planning to sell its heating plant in Kherson by the end of the year and has set the minimum bidding price at 155 million hryvnia, Delo and others reported. Applications from interested parties will be accepted until Dec. 14. Bidding is set for Dec. 22.

• Delo reported that the Kremenchug steel plant will resume production in the casting of train cars for Ukrzaliznytsi. The company has orders for 6,300 new cars in 2017 and orders for 23,000 refurbishments.

• Citing the Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Center reported Delo, the corn harvest will not suffer any ill effects from the heavy snows, but the same cannot be said for the soy and sunflower crop. A researcher at the center said the yields of soy and sunflowers would be «significantly degraded.»

• Astarta, one of the largest sugar producers in Ukraine, plans to keep the overall planting of sugar beets in 2017 unchanged from the previous year, Interfax Ukraine reported. That means about 45,000 hectares. The company said that this year, it has been buying a greater volume of sugar beets from farmers.

• October turnover on the e-trading platform Prom.ua improved 85 percent over that of the same month the previous year, Interfax Ukraine reported. A company representative said that overall orders in October hit 2.2 million, which is up 68 percent from the previous October.

• Ukraine dropped one place in the annual Freedom House rankings of internet freedom across countries, according to Interfax Ukraine, citing Ukrainskaya Pravda. In this report, Ukraine clocked in at No. 38 on the list and was thus assessed as «partially free» in the online sphere. In 2012 and 2013, the country was in the high 20s and rated as a free country in that area.

• Interfax Ukraine reported that net profits at Cereal Ukraine, a leading producer of kasha, in the first nine months of the year dropped signficantly from the same period last year.

• A top official in the Economic Development and Trade ministry announced that local governments have increased their budget revenues by 49 percent over the 10 months of this year, Ukrinform reported.

• Kyivstar expects to launch high-speed wireless 3G internet service in Zaporozhye in the next few days, Novoe Vremya reported. This follows an announcement last week that Vodafone is preparing to unveil 3G in Zaporozhye by the end of November.