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Russia Economy Worsens Even Before Sanctions Hit
Keywords:
Tags: Russia,
Russia faces inflation of 7%, and the central bank policy is to fight inflation by increasing interest rates to 7% in March 2014. The crisis in Ukraine and Russian intervention in the Crimea has worsened the prospects for the economy at a delicate time after Russia's growth rate was slowing rapidly in 2013. Capital flight in 2013 accelerated in the 1st quarter with the Ukraine crisis- with about $60 billion in capital outflows in the 1st quarter 2014. Speaking at an investor conference in Moscow, the former finance minister Alexei Kudrin, who strengthened Russia's finances in Putin's previous term continued to warn about taking risks with the economy and Russia's finances. He had earlier warned about higher defense spending. He now says the sharp economic slowdown expected with a possible contraction of 1.8% in 2014, is the price Russia is paying for an independent foreign policy. The policy is popular in Russia now with Putin's rating at about 80% in April 2014, but Kudrin says this does not reflect the situation if the contraction leads to falling real incomes. As investment spending stalled in the 1st quarter, only consumer spending supports growth for the remainder of the year. Russia's Economics Ministry favors stimulus to support growth, but the central bank is concerned about keeping inflation of 7% in check, and the Finance Ministry favors current policy of building up the rainy day fund from higher oil prices. As a result no stimulus is planned even as the economy slips into a risky contraction phase. For emerging markets in 2014 political problems have exacerbated slowing growth first in Turkey in 2013, and now in Russia in 2014, with the reverse taking place in India and Indonesia where elections and a change in government lead to more optimism.
Alexei Kudrin and other experts see the potential for a deep political and economic crisis in Russia 2011-2015
01/25/2008
Fears expressed by Kudrin and other experts at a Moscow conference about the impact of a recession in the eurozone and Greece's exit from the euro. Kudrin was a key figure in Russia anticipating and setting aside reserves in the sovereign fund to meet the adverse effects of the 2008 global financial crisis. The views expressed were that Russia's economy is shaky and could be seriously affected if European banks reduce their loans. Earlier he strongly opposed increases in military spending in a disagreement with prime minister Medvedev because of concerns about financial stability.
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Kudrin on higher military spending of 3% of Russia's GDP, exceeding the amount spent on education. He sees this as endangering Russia's finances. Kudrin's focus on building the Russian Stabilization Fund helped Russia weather the 2008 global financial crisis. He is one of the St Petersburg officials who helped bring Putin to the Presidency. A slowing economy and a decline in oil prices would have an impact on the Russian economy. Analysts say Russia needs an oil price of $120 to support the current level of spending.
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