Russians stuff $80 billion under mattresses

RUSSIA - Russians have nearly $80 billion "stuffed under mattresses" - more cash than in US circulation - which is now trickling into stocks amid improved trust in corporate governance, Russia's securities watchdog chief said on Tuesday.

The figure is almost double the Russian central bank's current gold and hard currency reserves of 43.6 billion dollars.

"Our latest estimates show that between 75 and 80 billion dollars are, so to speak, being stuffed under mattresses," Igor Kostikov, chairman of

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