Interfax: Poland news report of 13.02.2009

Weekly news:

FINANCIAL & ECONOMIC NEWS

NEWS

PRESS: Polish gov’t unveils privatization plans designed to bypass stock exchange, boost budget

PRESS: British citizens protest against jobs for Poles as recession deepens

COMPANY NEWS

TRANSPORTATION

Japanese carmaker Honda to invest EUR 10.7 mln in logistic center in Poland

METALS

Polish aluminum producer Grupa Kety post PLN 2.6 mln Q4 2008 net, down 90% y/y

CHEMICALS

PRESS: Poland’s top oil refiner PKN Orlen may delay or stop sale of chemicals unit Anwil

FOOD, BEVERAGE & AGRICULTURE

SABMiller’s Polish unit Kompania Piwowarska boosts beer sales in Poland by 6.2% y/y in 2008

Poland’s beer sales up 1.7% in 2008 to 35.6 mln hectoliters

MEDIA

Polish broadcaster TVN sees higher losses on digital satellite TV platform

Polish ad market seen shrinking 5.1% in 2009, total ad revenues seen at PLN 7.09 bln

REAL ESTATE

More than 900,000 sqm in usable retail space expected to hit Polish market in 2009 – expert

Polish developer Polnord continues all Warsaw Wilanow projects, some phases halted on low sales

Polish resi asking prices may decrease by 10% in 2009, market to hit bottom mid-year – developer

Developer Skanska Poland posts PLN 134.6 mln 2008 net, down 5.1% y/y

Warsaw sees highest office take-up on record of 460,000 sqm in 2008

Polish engineering company Pol-Aqua’s PLN 977.6 mln bid deemed best offer for Warsaw bridge

European real estate market, incl. Central Europe, expected to bottom out by early 2010 – expert

Warsaw office demand expected to rebound in H2 2010, office rental to increase - expert

Speculative warehousing investment in Poland to be replaced by BTS projects in 2009 - expert

Six consortiums qualify to phase II in tender for Polish National Stadium

Warsaw ranked 38th in global survey of most expensive property markets

ENERGY NEWS

OIL & PETROCHEMICALS

Polish refiner PKN Orlen denies talks about takeover of Ukrainian oil licenses in Libya

PRESS: Poland’s PKN Orlen interested in Ukrainian oil exploration licenses in Libya

Poland’s no.2 refiner Grupa Lotos sticks to oil extraction plan in Norway starting in 2009

Polish no.2 refiner Grupa Lotos’ results to surprise positively in H2 2009 – analyst

Polish no.2 refiner Grupa Lotos cuts investments by 40% in 2009 due to global economic crisis

Polish refiner Grupa Lotos, Azeri oil firm SOCAR to sign cooperation agreement

Polish refiner PKN Orlen signs PLN 31 mln deal with Gunvor for oil supplies to Lithuanian refinery

GAS

Polish gas monopolist PGNiG to benefit in H2 if gas price tariff kept unchanged by end-2009

Poland reiterates support for EU energy diversification projects – Polish foreign minister

Poland wants to remain important transit country for energy, supports Yamal-Europe-2 pipeline

Polish gas monopolist PGNiG against lower gas prices for domestic market end-users

Poland’s PGNiG expects to link Polish, German gas pipeline systems; no threat for Skanled project

Poland’s current problems with Russian gas supplies may impact next winter – PGNiG CEO

Poland’s PGNiG hopes price formula in Yamal contract with Russia will remain unchanged

Poland’s PGNiG wants 5-year deal with Gazprom for extra annual supplies of 3 bln cbm of gas

Poland’s PGNiG hopes to sign short-term deals with Gazprom to cover for gas supply shortages

Polish gas monopolist PGNiG insists on building Yamal-Europe-2 gas pipeline – interview

Polish-Russian agreement for gas deliveries possible by end-March – Polish EconMin

COAL

Polish coalminer JSW to invest PLN 750 mln in mining business expansion in 2009

HEAT, POWER & SEWAGE

PRESS: Polish power plants to demand excise tax return after European court decision

PRESS: Polish power sector wants lower coal prices, threatens to violate contracts

Polish power group Enea to buy PLN 200 mln worth of CO2 emission rights in 2009

Sweden’s Vattenfall may by end-Q1 buy leftover shares in power companies from Polish Treasury

Sweden’s Vattenfall may build up to 3,500 MW of power capacities in Poland by 2015

IT & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

LANDLINE/MOBILE TELECOMS

Polish alternative telecom Netia sees PLN 260 mln in 2009 EBITDA

INTERNET

Poland’s group of Internet users at 16.7 mln, 56% of population – poll

BANKING & FINANCE NEWS

BANKING

Polish Bank Millennium posts PLN 36 mln Q4 2008 net profit, down 70.8% y/y

KBC’s Polish unit Kredyt Bank posts PLN 64.6 mln in Q4 2008 net, down 41% y/y

Citigroup’s Polish unit Bank Handlowy disappoints with PLN 122.5 mln in Q4 2008 net profit

Poland-based AIG Bank Polska posts PLN 224 mln in 2008 net profits

CALENDAR

Central European data release schedule – week 8 (Feb. 16-20)

Nb: This news report features only the headline of each news.

Agency Interfax