KIEV, Nov 16 (Reuters) - Ukraine's trade deficit for goods and services in January-September 2009 shrank to $1.079 billion from $10.217 billion in the same period last year, the State Statistics Committee said on Monday.
The Committee said the deficit decreased because of a sharp fall in imports.
Exports in the first nine months of 2009 totalled $34.320 billion against $62.466 billion in the same period in 2008, while imports fell to $35.399 billion from $72.684 billion a year earlier.
Analysts expect the trade account to be balanced, or close to, as a deep economic recession has reduced demand for imports, while a much weakened hryvnia currency has made Ukrainian exports slightly more attractive.
The trade and current accounts went into deficit in 2005 after import duties were lowered and Russian gas prices rose steeply.
Trade deficit rose to $13.485 billion in 2008 from $7.264 billion in 2007. (Reporting by Pavel Polityuk; editing by Chris Pizzey)