ISI Intellinews

Serge Brammertz, chief prosecutor of the UN war crimes tribunal arrives for a two-day visit to Belgrade today. Brammertz will submit a new report on Serbia #;s cooperation with the war crimes court to the UN following the visit.

US firm Boston Power, provider of lithium-ion battery technology, and one of the four US firms that has arrived in Serbia to discuss potential investments, visited the premises of Elektronska Industrija Nis (EI Nis), once the largest electronic equipment

Serbia will call a tender for issuing a second fixed-line telephony license on Nov ##, telecommunications minister Jasna Matic stated, adding that the procedure would be completed and the license awarded in mid-January ####.

Serbia#;s average rating for progress in transition has been raised to #.## this year from #.## in ####, the #### Transition Report of EBRD showed. The economic crisis in Serbia has led to a steep drop in

Market Research Institute (IZIT) said that unemployment rate in the country would continue rising by the end of the year, adding that negative developments on the labour market are expected to continue in #### as well.

Serbia hopes to join the World Trade Organization (WTO) next year, state secretary at the economy ministry Vesna Arsic has stated. Arsic added that Serbia was currently holding talks with the WTO and complying in line with the requirements to

Deputy PM Jovan Krkobabic has stated that the talks with the IMF on the withdrawal of the remaining instalments under the stand-by deal have been successfully wrapped up, adding that the details on the agreement on pension system reform

Production of rolled metal decreased by ##.#% y/y to ##,###,### tonnes in Jan-Oct. In October alone, production of finished rolled metal increased by #.#% m/m to #,###,### tonnes, a source in

Gas imports reached #.#bn m # in October, a representative of the president for international energy security Bohdan Sokolovskyi has said. Sokolovskyi also said that the Naftohaz Ukrainy should pay Russia #;s gas monopoly, Gazprom, about USD ###mn for

Raiffeisen Bank Aval plans to draw a subordinated loan of USD ###mn from the International Financial Corporation (IFC). The IFC plans to grant the borrowing in frames of a joint action plan of the World Bank, the European Bank for

Nadra Bank failed to restructure its debt worth USD ###mn, Kommersant-Ukraine has reported. According to the bank#;s foreign debt restructuring plan, Nadra Bank should have signed a memorandum of understanding with its creditors by Nov #.

Insurance company Oranta expects to collect UAH ###-###mn (USD ##.##mn) in insurance premiums in #### and increase this figure to UAH #bn in ####. According to Chairman of the Management Board of the company Elena Bolotova, Oranta intends

The European Investment Bank (EIB) decided to allocate credits of EUR ###mn to Ukraine for financing a project of construction of a power transmission line in the south of the country and EUR ###mn for financing energy-saving projects for

The parliament allocated UAH #bn (USD ###mn) from the state budget and transferred it into the reserve fund for fighting against the epidemic of influenza.

Oil retailer Petrol Ofisi informs that the authorities sent an invitation to the company to settle TRY ##.#mn tax dispute. Separately, Petrol Ofisi dismissed recent media reports that after inspections at the company#;s facilities the energy market regulator

Director general of energy company Akenerji, Ahmet Umit Danisman asserts that the company eyes acquisitions in electricity distribution tenders. Danisman notes that the company targets to increase the distribution capacity twice as much as the distribution capacity of Sakarya Elektrik

Energy minister Taner Yildiz says that a price hike in natural gas seems unlikely. Yildiz notes that the price hikes are determined according to an automatic pricing mechanism in the electricity and natural gas market and the current indicators do

Italy-based white goods manufacturer Candy Group announces that it established a plant in Eskisehir . The company informs that it picked up Turkey as its production and export center.

One of the medium-sized private banks, Sekerbank, announced a net profit of TRY ###.#mn (EUR ##.#mn) in Jan-Sep, representing a #.#% y/y increase. The lender#;s net profit in Q# however decreased ##.#

Insurance and pension fund management firm Anadolu Hayat Emeklilik reports that its net profit increased to TRY ##.#mn (EUR ##.#mn) in Jan-Sep from TRY ##.#mn in the same period last year.

PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan says that the military leaders should help prosecutors identify officers who took part in the alleged anti-government plot and bring them to justice.

Director general of energy company Akenerji, Ahmet Umit Danisman asserts that the company eyes acquisitions in electricity distribution tenders. Danisman notes that the company targets to increase the distribution capacity twice as much as the distribution capacity of Sakarya Elektrik

Energy minister Taner Yildiz says that a price hike in natural gas seems unlikely. Yildiz notes that the price hikes are determined according to an automatic pricing mechanism in the electricity and natural gas market and the current indicators do

State-run lender Turkiye Halk Bankasi (Halkbank) posted a net profit of TRY###.#mn (EUR ###.#mn) in Q#, representing a ##% y/y increase. The net profit of the bank in Jan-Sep was ##.#% y/y higher

Officials from the finance ministry told the news agency Anadolu that in order to meet the revenue targets in the #### budget a rise in the special consumption tax on tobacco products will be necessary next year.

The European Commission#;s autumn forecast for ####-#### projects #.#% GDP growth next year for the Turkish economy. The Commission expects a #.#% contraction this year and #.#% increase in GDP in ####.

The headline CPI inflation surprised on the upside, increasing more than expected in October, by #.#% m/m. But, despite the m/m increase, the yearly inflation decelerated to #.##% in October from #.##% a month earlier

PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan says that the military leaders should help prosecutors identify officers who took part in the alleged anti-government plot and bring them to justice.

Director general of energy company Akenerji, Ahmet Umit Danisman asserts that the company eyes acquisitions in electricity distribution tenders. Danisman notes that the company targets to increase the distribution capacity twice as much as the distribution capacity of Sakarya Elektrik

Energy minister Taner Yildiz says that a price hike in natural gas seems unlikely. Yildiz notes that the price hikes are determined according to an automatic pricing mechanism in the electricity and natural gas market and the current indicators do

State-run lender Turkiye Halk Bankasi (Halkbank) posted a net profit of TRY###.#mn (EUR ###.#mn) in Q#, representing a ##% y/y increase. The net profit of the bank in Jan-Sep was ##.#% y/y higher

Officials from the finance ministry told the news agency Anadolu that in order to meet the revenue targets in the #### budget a rise in the special consumption tax on tobacco products will be necessary next year.

The European Commission#;s autumn forecast for ####-#### projects #.#% GDP growth next year for the Turkish economy. The Commission expects a #.#% contraction this year and #.#% increase in GDP in ####.

The headline CPI inflation surprised on the upside, increasing more than expected in October, by #.#% m/m. But, despite the m/m increase, the yearly inflation decelerated to #.##% in October from #.##% a month earlier

According to news agency TNA, Bank of Thailand (BOT) Deputy Governor Bandid Nijathaworn stated recently that the fundamentals of Thailand#;s economy remained strong and that it was likely to recover as the global economy improved.

According to the Taipei Times, a recent survey by HSBC showed that Taiwan#;s purchasing managers#; index reading increased to ##.# in October from ##.# in September.

According to the Korea Times , figures released by the Labour Ministry on Monday show that the number of applicants for unemployment benefits declined to a one-year low of ##,### in October, down from ###,### in January.

According to news agency AFP , President Lee Myung-Bak stated on Monday that S Korea would maintain its supportive fiscal and monetary policies until the global economy showed a full recovery.

According to the Korea Herald , The Economist#; Editor Charles Goddard stated recently that S Korea#;s economy was likely to expand by #.#% in #### as a result of an improvement in exports and in household consumption.

According to the Business Times , Prime Minister Najib Razak stated recently that the Malaysia#;s economy could register positive growth in Q# owing to an improvement in demand resulting from the government#;s fiscal measures.

According to news agency Reuters , Indonesia#;s Trade Ministry stated on Tuesday that it had decided to postpone till July next year the implementation of its new trade regulation for export payments.

According to the Financial Express, the IMF recently sold ### MT of gold to India for a total of USD #.#bn. The sale was conducted on a daily basis for two weeks in October.

According to news agency PTI , the Planning Commission stated recently that the growth rate of India#;s economy was likely to increase to #% in financial year ####-## (April to March), #% in ####-## and ##% in ####-##.

According to news agency Reuters , Ministry of Commerce and Industry official G Bhujabal stated on Tuesday that India#;s exports were estimated to have declined by ##.#% y/y to USD ##.#bn in September.

According to news agency Reuters, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) stated on Tuesday that it shared Hong Kong#;s concerns regarding the risks of asset price inflation resulting from short-term liquidity conditions.

According to the Business Times , Financial Services and Treasury Secretary KC Chan stated at a legislative hearing on Monday that the government had tightened the regulations governing complicated investment products after retail investors suffered large losses last year on account

According to Hong Kong#;s official website, figures of the Census and statistics Department show that the total value of receipts for the restaurant sector declined by #.#% y/y USD ##.#bn in Q#/####.

According to news agency Reuters , local media reported that China#;s new bank lending during October was likely to amount to between CNY ###bn and CNY ###bn.

According to news agency Xinhua , the China Construction Bank (CCB) stated in a recent report that China#;s economy was likely to grow by more than ##% in Q# as a result of an increase in export orders and domestic consumption.

The political scene should become more fragmented as eight parties would enter the parliament after new elections, according to a recent October poll of the MVK agency.

Real estate developer launched a new logistics centre in the Presov region, the development director of the company#;s Slovak unit, Slavomir Jankovic, announced.

The EBRD considers extending an existing credit facility for financing sustainable energy to up to EUR ##mn from previous EUR ##mn, the bank disclosed.

Mid-sized Volksbank Slovensko generated a EUR #.#mn loss for the Q#-Q# period, the bank informed. Its revenue base shrank substantially with net operating revenue down by ##.#% y/y to EUR ##.#mn and net income

The regular autumn forecasts of the EC confirmed expectations that the Slovak economy would be able to partially recovery from the crisis already in ####.

Saudi Arabia#;s money supply (M#) grew by ##.#% y/y to reach SAR #tn (USD ###.#bn) at end-September, the Saudi central bank (SAMA) said in a report. The bank kept interest rates unchanged in the quarter

The joint chambers of the Parliament will vote today on the nominated PM Lucian Croitoru and his team, which would replace interim PM Emil Boc in the very unlikely case that the lawmakers agree.

MIH Allegro BV, a subsidiary of the South African group Napster LLC, took over for more than EUR #.#mn the largest local used car sales website autovit.ro from several local investors, local media reports.

The central bank#;s monetary board maintained in yesterday#;s meeting the monetary policy interest rate at #% and also the required reserve ratios at ##% and ##% for foreign and local currency liabilities respectively.

Irrespective of the findings of the current expert team visit in Bucharest , the IMF will continue the stand-by agreement with Romania , but will disburse further tranches of the EUR ##bn loan attached only after the government meets its performance

The interim PM Emil Boc reportedly sketches alternative financing scenarios for the budget deficit as EUR #bn from IMF, EC and WB expected for Q# will most likely not reach the Treasury#;s accounts by yearend and the planned EUR

The general government deficit reported under ESA ## methodology deficit narrows gradually from #.#% of GDP this year to #.#% in #### and #.#% in ####, according to the EC#;s Autumn Forecast , but even this moderate

Qatar#;s economy is expected to expand by #% in FY ####/#### and by ##% in the following year, the Emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, said. The Qatari positive results will take place despite forecasts of global

Credit-rating agency Fitch Ratings believes that the current initial public offering of Poland#;s biggest power group PGE and the related substantial equity increase will improve the company#;s financial profile ahead of a significant increase in capital expenditure

The allotment certificates of the country#;s biggest vertically-integrated energy company PGE will debut on the Warsaw Stock Exchange (WSE) on Friday, Nov #, ####, the WSE#;s CEO Ludwik Sobolewski has said.

Blue-chip media group TVN estimates that in Q#/####, the first signs of revival on the advertisement market are observed, according to the company#;s presentations for investors.

Commercial banks, surveyed at the turn of September/ October by the National Bank of Poland (NBP), which hold a total of ##.#% of all credits, expect further tightening of the standards of granting all consumer as well as higher

The country#;s biggest bank PKO BP expects that in #### and ####, it will post a double-digit rise of its net and gross profits, the lender#;s acting CEO, Zbigniew Jagiello has said.

The value of assets of the country#;s ## open pension funds (OFEs) increased by #.#% m/m to PLN ###.#bn in October, Analizy Online, which monitors the investment and pension fund market, has said in its report.

The government plans to redirect as of next year ##% of the obligatory premium (#.#% of gross wages) paid to a chosen open pension fund (OFE) to a special-purpose treasury bond account at the Social Security Board (ZUS

The quarterly business index of the Polish Confederation of Private Employees Lewiatan (PKPP Lewiatan) was ##pts in October, i.e. it fell by #pts, in the range of #-###pts, the PKPP has announced.

The general government deficit will likely exceed, as estimated by the central bank, #.#% of GDP vs. the government-forecasted #.#% and last year#;s #.#%, the Monetary Policy Council (RPP) has said in its comments to

Even if the government manages to keep the public debt-to-GDP ratio at slightly below ##.#% in ####, there is "serious risk" that this threshold will be exceeded in ####, the Monetary Policy Council (RPP) has said in

The European Commission has raised its forecast for Poland#;s GDP growth in #### to #.#% from #.#% expected in September (and vs. -#.#% forecasted in May), the Commission has announced in a report.

Private investment fund EQT V acquired local cable TV and Internet provider CableTEL as part of its expansion plans for eastern Europe. It has also recently acquired control of Bulgarian cable TV and Internet services providers CableTel, which is the

Macedonia successfully placed almost the entire issue of MKD #.#bn (EUR ##.#mn) six-month treasury bills with a foreign currency clause and #.#% rate, which were auctioned on November #, the central bank reported.

The Japan Credit Rating Agency (JCR) issued a positive prognosis for Macedonia #;s credit rating, giving the country a BB+ with stable outlook on preparation of EU accession, economic and fiscal stability and moderate debt.

The European Commission forecast a moderate #.#% GDP growth in #### after a #% decline in #### within a shrinking output moderate recession, structural changes and deteriorating public finance, the EC Autumn Forecast ####-#### said.

Croatian lender Karlovacka banka and courier company CityEx are interested in cooperation with postal company Posta Crne Gore, the transport and communications ministry informed.

The authorised body for fight with money laundering and terrorism financing is investigating a local lender for a doubtful transaction, the head of the institution, Predrag Mitrovic, announced.

The number of tourist arrivals totalled ###,### in September, translating to an impressive ##.#% y/y increase, the statistical bureau (Monstat) reported.

The number of employed persons reached ###,### in September, translating to #.#% y/y increase, statistical office (Monstat) reported. We note this represented #.#pps m/m deceleration of the employment growth.

The Morocco oil bill dropped by ##.#% to stand at around MAD ##bn (USD #.#bn) in the year to September, Maghreb Arabe Presse cited figures by Morocco #;s Exchange Office.

Lithuanian furniture company Klaipedos Baldai reports revenues decline by #.#% y/y in Jan-Sep period, when revenues amounted to LTL ###mn (EUR ##.#mn), the company disclosed via Vilnius Stock Exchange.

Lithuanian oil loading company Klaipedos Nafta recorded revenues of LTL #.#mn (EUR #.#mn), up by ##.#% y/y in October, the company announced via Vilnius Stock Exchange.