IMF retains Ukraine economic growth in 2018 at 3.2% y/y

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has retained its forecast for Ukraine's economic growth in 2018 at 3.2% year-on-year, and reviewed downwards the 2019 forecast to 3.3% y/y from 4% y/y, the multinational lender said in its World Economic Outlook

Russia's industrial output disappoints in March, EconMin starts outlook revision

Russia's industrial output in March expanded by 1% year-on-year, slowing down from 1.5% y/y seen in February and 2.9% y/y in January, according to the report by Rosstat statistics service.

China-Europe container traffic across EEU to almost double by 2020

Increased transit container traffic through the Eurasian Economic Union will depend on trade between China and the EU, but transit states will need to expand their transport infrastructure and remove a number of barriers, EDB report says.

Ukraine central bank keeps key rate unchanged at 17%

Ukraine's foreign reserves declined by 1.2% m/m in March

Ukraine's foreign exchange reserves declined by 1.2% month-on-month to $18.191bn in March, the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) reports

Russian inflation inches up to 2.4% in March

Consumer prices in Russia rose by 0.3% month-on-month in Russia in March 2018, in line with previously observed weekly inflation dynamics and bringing the annual inflation rate to 2.4% versus 2.2% seen in February.

E-commerce dramatically eats into foot traffic at Moscow’s leading shopping malls

The Watcom index, which measures footfall in the leading shopping malls, has been falling steadily since its inception in 2014 as Russians increasingly move online to buy everything from sugar to shoes.

CEE monthly bond wrap: Russia defies the west with two bond issues

Bond issues from emerging markets were strong in the first quarter of this year with bond traders ignoring the political brouhaha.

Russia's services PMI softens to eight month low in March

Russia’s manufacturing PMI puts in a marginal rise in March just above no change

Russia’s manufacturing PMI put in a marginal rise in March up to 50.6 from 50.2 a month earlier and only just above the 50 no-change mark in the IHS Markit index, a composite snapshot of manufacturing actively based on a monthly survey.

Russian inflation to rise to 3.2% in 2018, says Sberbank

Inflation dropped to a record low of 2.2% y/y at the beginning of the year, well short of the official year-end target of 4%.