Norilsk scraps '08 dividend, may cut foreign output

* Norilsk Nickel will not pay dividend in 2008

* Expects 2009 profits to fall fourfold vs 2008

* Considering closing foreign assets

* Blames financial crisis, fall in industrial demand

* May sell metal to the state to maintain production

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By Polina Devitt

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Norilsk Nickel (GMKN.MM) will axe its dividend this year as the world's largest nickel miner considers cutting its foreign output and warns net profit in 2009 might only be a quarter of this year's level.

Norilsk Chief Executive Vladimir Strzhalkovsky said on Thursday that in response to the financial crisis and slumping demand the company would consider selling metal to the state to maintain production during the drought.  Continued...