Back to school! Watcom shopping index improves after terrible 1H17

Russia went back to school on September 1 and the Watcom Shopping index jumped to nearly 500 as families stocked up on pens and rulers, breaking the long run of misery earlier in this year.

Russia's CBR cuts key rate by 50bp as expected

The Central Bank of Russia resumed its monetary easing cycle after skipping a cut at the last meeting due to a food price shock and cut the key interest rate by 50bp to 8.5% at the key policy meeting of September 15, the regulator said in a closely w

Ukraine central bank leaves key policy rate unchanged at 12.5%

The National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) has left its key policy rate unchanged at 12.5% due to the need "to return inflation to the target path", the regulator said in a statement published on September 14.

Russian banks earned more profit in 8M17 than in all of 2016

The profit of Russian banks in January-August 2017 reached RUB997bn ($17.3bn), according to Central Bank of Russia (CBR) -- more than they earned in all of 2016.

Russia's CBR expected to cut rate, refine guidance

The Central Bank of Russia is widely expected to resume the monetary easing cycle and cut the key interest rate by 50bp to 8.5% at the upcoming policy meeting of September 15.

National Bank of Belarus makes 7th key rate cut this year

The National Bank of Belarus (NBB) cut its key rates to 11.5% on August 13, the seventh cut in a row, as the regulator continues its easing policy.

OPEC raises its forecast for Russia’s oil and gas condensate output in 2017

Russia is still the biggest producer of oil in the world and production is running at close to record highs, despite a deal to limit production struck with OPEC last year and extended for nine months this May.

CEE monthly bond wrap: everyone’s on holiday

Everyone was on holiday in August it seems. There were no bond issues at all in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and only three small issues in Russia.

Russian life expectancy reaches a record 72.5 years

The average life expectancy of Russians for the first time in history reached 72.5 years in the first seven months of 2017, according to Rosstat.

Ukraine reports 0.1% m/m deflation in August

Deflation in Ukraine stood at 0.1% month-on-month in August following a 0.2% m/m inflation in July; Ukraine's inflation stood at 16.2% in annual terms, the state statistics service Ukrstat reported on September 8.

Recovery of Russia’s automotive sector continues in August with sales up 17%

The market only returned to growth at the beginning of this year, with mass brands and made-in-Russia brands doing well as Russians trade down and become more price sensitive.

Russia’s gross international reserves rose 1.3% to $424bn in August

Russia’s gross international reserves (GIR) rose 1.3% to $424bn in August, the central bank said in a statement on August 7.

Ukrainian president forecasts economic growth at 1.8% y/y in 2017

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko believes that Ukraine's GDP will grow by 1.8% year-on-year in 2017.

Russian institutions beat CEE peers on world university ranking

Lomonosov Moscow State University the best ranked university in the CEE/CIS region on new ranking compiled by THE.

Ukraine foreign reserves up to $18bn in August

Ukraine's foreign exchange reserves increased by $240mn, or 1.3% month-on-month to $18.035bn in August, the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) said in a statement on September 5.

Russian deflation overshoots in August ahead of CB meeting

Presidential faction in Ukraine parliament urges government to raise minimum wage in country

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko's parliamentary faction has urged Kyiv government to raise the minimum wage in Ukraine to UAH4,000 (€170) from the current level of UAH 3,200, faction head Artur Herasymov said.

Russian "bots" dominate Twitter discourse on Nato presence in Eastern Europe

Robotic accounts generated 84% of Russian-language messages on Nato in Poland and the Baltic States in recent months, study finds.

Russia’s manufacturing PMI index was down slightly in August, but still in positive territory

The seasonally adjusted IHS Markit Russia Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) posted 51.6 in August, down from July’s reading of 52.7, but still ahead of the 50 no-change mark

Russia’s economy runs up against structural limits again

Russia’s economic growth decelerated sharply to 1.5% y/y in July from 2.9% y/y in June.