Ukraine's auto output jumps by half in first 8 months

Ukraine produced more than 67,000 new vehicles in the first eight months of the year, an increase of 48 percent compared to the same period last year, the country's automakers' association said Monday. In August 2011, automobile output was 9,206 units, down 4.7 percent from July 2011 and up 37.5 percent compared with August 2010. Economists forecast that the country's total auto output would increase 37 percent year-on-year. By the end of this year, the production of cars and light vehicles is expected to increase 13 percent to 85,100 units, while bus production is likely to rise twofold to about 5,500 units and trucks, up 22 percent to 6,000 units, according to the Ukrainian cabinet.