Russia's positive balance of trade increased in 2017, ensuring a steady BoP position. The private sector saw capital outflow in 2017, mostly because Russian banks had trimmed foreign-exchange liabilities. The rouble appreciated on the back of stable balance of payments

The Bank of Russia decided in June to keep the key interest rate unchanged because of worsening geopolitical uncertainty, capital outflows from developing countries as a consequence of tighter US Fed's monetary policy, plans to raise the VAT rate, as well as prices adjustment to a weaker rouble....

The third quarter of 2018 saw Russia register the highest positive BoP on record on the back of growth in country's exports amid higher oil prices and decline in imports induced by rouble depreciation. BoP data show that non-residents continued to reduce their investment in the Russian economy....

During the first five months of 2018 Russian fuel exports grew by 28%. Exports of other goods moved up by 26%, surpassing the pre-crisis level of 2013. Imports went up by 16%, for the first time in five years its dynamics did not correspond to the dynamics of the exchange rate: imported goods...

Russian exports of services in 2017 grew by 14%. To achieve the export target set by the President's decree of May 7, 2018 to the tune of $100 billion over the next six years, annual growth of 9% will be required. Import of services in 2017 grew by 19% mainly due to 30% increase in traveling...

In 2017, Russia extended its market share in the European Union. EU imports from Russia went up from 119 to 145 bn euros, while Russia's share in the overall European imports rose to 7.8% ( 0.9 p.p.). Such growth was due to rising prices on principal products of Russian export – fuel raw...

The Russian Federation continued to strengthen its international donor position in 2017. Russia spends more than $1bn annually on international development assistance programs and projects. Building a good-neighbourliness belt around the country as part of its economic support of CIS nations...

In 2018, exports of fuel and energy commodities increased by nearly 36%t as compared to the previous year, while growth in non-oil and gas exports amounted to over 11%. However, it was mainly facilitated by improvement of the pricing situation on the market. Within a year, imports rose by 5%...

In 2018, the developing economies were experiencing a capital outfl ow due to toughening, by the USA, of its monetary policy, as well as the trade war between China and the United States. The most vulnerable ones turned out to be Argentina and Turkey, two countries that had accumulated quite a...