Russia
World Bank optimistic on Russian reforms
RUSSIA - The World Bank's chief economist for Russia said he was cautiously optimistic about the outlook for the country, but banking reform and economic diversification were key tasks ahead.
New currency law not seen hurting Russian reserves
RUSSIA - The reduction in the amount of hard currency companies are obliged to exchange for roubles is not expected to have a major impact on the forex market nor prevent the central bank from building up it foreign currency reserves, dealers said on 31…
Russian central bank says monetary base rose
RUSSIA - Monetary base rose to 614.1 billion rubles as of 23 July which is up 0.2% from 613.1 billion rubles as of 16 July, the Central Bank of Russia said in a report on 27 July.
Russia to draft new forex control law by October
RUSSIA - The Russian government intends to draft a new, more liberal law on hard currency controls and regulations by October, the Finance Ministry said yesterday, 24 July.
Russian major bank ratings improve
RUSSIA - Fitch, the international rating agency, has changed the Outlook to Positive from Stable assigned to the Long-term ratings of 'B' of the Savings Bank of the Russian Federation (Sberbank) and Vneshekonombank (VEB). The banks' Short-term,…
Russian bank reform - key topic at autumn session
RUSSIA - Minister for Economic Development and Trade of Russia, German Gref, after the traditional meeting of Russia s President Vladimir Putin with the m embers of the Cabinet in the Kremlin informs, that Putin demands that actions o f the Central Bank…
Russian C Bank stripped of right to control audits
RUSSIA - On 13 July, the Russian State Duma adopted in third and final reading two bills, entitled On auditing activities and on the state registration of legal entities.
Russian duma gives easy passage to currency law
RUSSIA - Russia's parliament on 13 July supported President Vladimir Putin's plan to liberalise currency controls, ignoring a central bank request to postpone approval until the autumn.
IMF deal forbids Russian bank gold sales
RUSSIA - Russia's deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) would forbid Moscow from selling gold from central bank reserves, even to help in emergencies, a government source said on 25 May.
State Duma passes IMF package on its third reading
RUSSIA - The Russian State Duma has passed upon its third and final reading a package of bills initiated by the International Monetary Fund to restructure the Russian banking system.
Gerashchenko gloomy on Russian banks
Interviewed in The Banker magazine (May 2001 edition) Viktor Gerashchenko, head of Russia's central bank painted a gloomy picture of the state of Russia's banking system.
Belarus, Russia can adopt single currency by 2005
RUSSIA - Viktor Gerashchenko, head of the Russian Central Bank, said during his visit to Mahilyow on Mar 30 that Belarus and Russia could adopt a single currency before 2005 provided there were necessary economic conditions.
CBR asks government to repay its debts
RUSSIA - Bank of Russia recorded a pretax profit of about R4bn for 2000, Governor Viktor Gerashchenko reported, but the government still needs to repay its debt to the central bank.
Russian bankers to participate in symposium
A delegation of Russian bankers and economists will participate in a three day symposium in India beginning on Mar 22, 2001.
Russia cbank says too soon to ease forex sale rule
Russian Central Bank Chairman Viktor Gerashchenko said in an interview published on Mar 7, 2001 that it was too early to reduce the percentage of foreign currency receipts that Russian exporters are required to sell in exchange for roubles.
Russian central bank deputy governor in Vietnam
A delegation of Russian central bank headed by its deputy governor, V.A Melnikov has been in Vietnam since February 16, said the International Relation Dept. of the State Bank of Vietnam. They are scheduled to work with the central bank office,…
Vietnam,Russia look to bilateral payment mechanism
Risks encountered by Vietnam's businesses in trading with Russian partners will likely be removed if talks between the visiting Russian banking delegation with their Vietnamese counterparts bear fruit.
Russia will pay debts on time, finance chief
Signalling a renewed spirit of cooperation, a senior Russian government official on Feb 17 told delegates from France, Italy and other countries that his government intends to repay its $38.7 billion (42.35 billion euros) in foreign debt in full and on…
IMF Moscow talks progress, stop short of approval
The International Monetary Fund said on Feb 16, 2001 its latest talks did not attain the approval Russia needed to start negotiations on restructuring Paris Club debt. Its discussions in Moscow had yielded "significant progress", however. Officials had…
Russia Duma ratifies single currency with Belarus
The Russia State Duma budget committee on Feb 9, 2001 decided to recommend that the lower house of parliament ratify the agreement between Russia and Belarus on the introduction of a single currency and on setting up a single monetary emissions center…
Russian c.bank reserves set post-Soviet record
Russia's foreign currency and gold reserves have hit a new post-Soviet high of $29.5 billion after rising almost one billion dollars in the week to Feb. 2, the central bank said on Feb. 8, 2001. The bank said reserves had risen to the new level from $28…
Gerashchenko sees no Russia banking crisis
There is currently no threat of a systemic banking crisis in Russia, Central Bank head Viktor Geraschenko said. "I don't think that a systemic crisis in the banking sector is possible for us right now," Geraschenko said in an interview.
Russia c.bank drafts blueprint for banking reform
Russia's central bank has prepared new guidelines for banking sector reform aimed at bringing financial institutions in line with Western standards, a senior central banker said in an interview published on Feb 1, 2000. Central bank deputy chairman…
Interview with Viktor Gerashchenko
We report in full an interview with Russian central bank chairman Viktor Gerashchenko that appeared in the Russia paper, 'AIF weekly', following the World Economic Forum in Davos.