| Russia |
- New Duma convened on December 21.
- Changes ahead in federal and regional power-sharing.
- Central bank adjusts rates and widens fluctuation band of ruble exchange rate.
|
| China |
- High economic growth lifts China to middle-income country status.
- Economic growth expected to slow in 2012.
|
| 23.12.2011 |
BOFIT Weekly 51/2011 (PDF) |
| Russia |
- WTO ministerial conference approves Russia’s accession.
- Russia’s WTO membership positive for both the Russian and Finnish economies.
- MICEX and RTS exchanges merge.
|
| China |
- WTO membership has provided China many benefits...
- …but WTO membership has also led to numerous squabbles.
- China continues to relax capital controls.
|
| 16.12.2011 |
BOFIT Weekly 50/2011 (PDF) |
| Russia |
- Stock market down after public protests over Duma elections.
- Finance sector struggles with tight liquidity.
|
| China |
- China export growth continues to slow.
- Inflation drops sharply in November.
- Expectations of ongoing yuan appreciation begin to fade.
|
| 9.12.2011 |
BOFIT Weekly 49/2011 (PDF) |
| Russia |
- Election results unlikely to affect Russian economic policy.
- Changes in taxation on the way.
- Revived Russian consumption supports Finland’s exports.
|
| China |
- Growth also slowing in service branches.
- Soaring credit card use – and overdue credit card payments.
- Entertainment industry facing challenges in China.
|
| 2.12.2011 |
BOFIT Weekly 48/2011 (PDF) |
| Russia |
- CBR braces for weaker economic conditions.
- Russia and Belarus reach agreement on a new contract price for natural gas.
- IEA pushes Russia on energy efficiency.
|
| China |
- China relaxes its monetary stance.
- Industrial conditions weaken substantially in November.
- Slide in apartment prices gathered force in October.
- Bribery a prominent feature of Chinese and Russian firms conducting international business.
|
| 25.11.2011 |
BOFIT Weekly 47/2011 (PDF) |
| Russia |
- Prices on Russia’s stock markets now track international stock markets more closely than before.
- Stock market reforms.
- Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan aim at a new phase in economic cooperation.
|
| China |
- Growth in China’s currency reserves slowed in the third quarter.
- China tests effectiveness of different environmental policy approaches.
- Boom in Finnish raw material exports to China.
|
| 18.11.2011 |
BOFIT Weekly 46/2011 (PDF) |
| Russia |
- Russia one step closer to WTO membership.
- Diversity in economic performance and 2012 forecasts.
- Banking sector liquidity expected to improve by year’s end.
|
| China |
- Economic slowdown yet to be reflected in a drop-off in metal imports to China.
- IMF points to vulnerabilities of China’s financial sector from inefficiency and risk exposure.
|
| 11.11.2011 |
BOFIT Weekly 45/2011 (PDF) |
| Russia |
- Russian exports weaker than forecast.
- First gas passes through Nord Stream gas pipeline.
|
| China |
- October economic figures suggest economic growth continues to slow.
- Yuan appreciates in real terms.
- Chinese direct investment abroad still largely destined for Asia.
|
| 4.11.2011 |
BOFIT Weekly 44/2011 (PDF) |
| Russia |
- Is Russia finally on the brink of WTO membership?
- Russia ready to help finance eurozone debtors.
- Next year’s regulated rate hikes to be postponed.
|
| China |
- Income continues to climb.
- China experiments with extending VAT to services.
- OECD gives Chinese higher education a mixed report card.
|
| 28.10.2011 |
BOFIT Weekly 43/2011 (PDF) |
| Russia |
- Output shows fair rebound this year.
- Bumper grain harvest for Russia.
- Energy continues to dominate Russian exports.
|
| China |
- China has to consider its involvement in euro zone rescue.
- Local administrations get go-ahead on bond issues.
- Considerable shrinkage of China’s current account.
|
| 21.10.2011 |
BOFIT Weekly 42/2011 (PDF) |
| Russia |
- Russia pushes for intensified economic cooperation among CIS members.
- Russia’s new international tax agreements seek to ban tax avoidance.
|
| China |
- Economic growth remained strong in third quarter.
- 3Q inflation remained high as housing prices plateaued.
|
| 14.10.2011 |
BOFIT Weekly 41/2011 (PDF) |
| Russia |
- Current budget framework calls for sharp hikes in spending on defence and national security.
- Consumer prices remain flat.
- Russia and China consider deeper economic cooperation.
|
| China |
- State increases its holdings in China’s big banks.
- US Senate approves bill aimed at punishing China for currency policy.
- Oil and cars characterise challenges of China-Russia trade.
|
| 7.10.2011 |
BOFIT Weekly 40/2011 (PDF) |
| Russia |
- Demand in Russia recovered starting in the second quarter.
- Increases in public sector spending ahead affirmed.
- New export duty scheme for crude oil and petroleum products now in force.
|
| China |
- PMIs readings suggest China’s real economy weathered September in passable condition.
- Hong Kong’s offshore yuan market hits quota ceiling, falls off cliff.
- US Senate moves toward final vote on bill punishing China for currency manipulation.
- Interest rates soar on grey loan market.
|
| 30.9.2011 |
BOFIT Weekly 39/2011 (PDF) |
| Russia |
- Finance minister Alexei Kudrin resigns – bumpy times expected for Russian fiscal policy.
- Ruble’s recent slide started in early August.
|
| China |
- Rise in Chinese housing prices appears to be abating.
- Hope for improvement in the status of foreign firms.
- Local administration land deals ignite unrest in southern China.
|
| 23.9.2011 |
BOFIT Weekly 38/2011 (PDF) |
| Russia |
- BOFIT forecast sees relatively strong, but slowing, economic growth ahead for Russia.
- CBR adjusts key interest rates.
|
| China |
- BOFIT forecasts gradual slowing of Chinese economic growth.
- Oil accounts for most of China’s imports from North Africa and the Middle East.
|
| 16.9.2011 |
BOFIT Weekly 37/2011 (PDF) |
| Russia |
- Rising trend in federal budget spending will continue in coming years.
- Fixed investment remained heavily focused on the energy sector in the first half.
- Despite strong exports of wheat and arms to North Africa and the Middle East, the region still only has marginal economic significance for Russia.
|
| China |
- Industrial production growth remained strong in August.
- Inflation declines as expected
- Order-books of Chinese shipyards down.
- China links offer of financing to indebted EU members with trade policy concessions.
|
| 9.9.2011 |
BOFIT Weekly 36/2011 (PDF) |
| Russia |
- Russia posts large consolidated budget surplus in the first half.
- Oil production rises but exports decline.
- Finnish exports to Russia up briskly in the first half.
|
| China |
- Western banks reduce their holdings in Chinese banks.
- China gains in international competitiveness ratings.
- China’s share of Finland’s foreign trade appears to be settling.
|
| 2.9.2011 |
BOFIT Weekly 35/2011 (PDF) |
| Russia |
- New regime for export taxes on petroleum products.
- Lapses in banking supervision.
- China Construction Bank announces plans to establish subsidiary in Russia.
|
| China |
- Monetary screws keep turning as PBoC moves to include customer margin deposits as part of banks’ reserve requirements.
- Chinese banks not spared from insecurity of global financial markets in recent weeks.
- Growth in domestic demand compensates for slowdown in export orders.
|
| 26.8.2011 |
BOFIT Weekly 34/2011 (PDF) |
| Russia |
- Major uncertainties cloud Russia’s economic growth prospects.
- Uncertainty on global markets could postpone government plans to sell shares in state-owned companies.
|
| China |
- China drafts new safety rules for nuclear power plants.
- ASEAN countries are important trading partners for China.
- Growth in car sales slowed substantially in the first seven months of the year.
|
| 19.8.2011 |
BOFIT Weekly 33/2011 (PDF) |
| Russia |
- State set to divest a majority stake in rail freight company.
- Customers demand lower gas prices from Gazprom.
- Gazprom lowers price of gas sold to Belarus; similar discount for Ukraine unlikely.
|
| China |
- Economic turmoil in the United States and Europe add to yuan appreciation pressures.
- World economy worries and inflation depress Chinese share prices.
- Summer grain harvest was 126 million tons.
|
| 12.8.2011 |
BOFIT Weekly 32/2011 (PDF) |
| Russia |
- Ruble falters and share prices slump.
- Russia continued to export capital in the first half of the year.
- Russia increases government borrowing.
|
| China |
- Inflation limiting China’s economic policy choices.
- Growth in industrial output and retail sales in July slowed as expected.
- China’s trade surplus ballooned in July.
|
| 5.8.2011 |
BOFIT Weekly 31/2011 (PDF) |
| Russia |
- Some progress in Russia’s WTO negotiations.
- Passenger car production and car imports surging.
- Decent harvest outlook.
|
| China |
- Chinese economy registers slight slowdown.
- Foreign banks with established local branches will be allowed to expand into local mutual fund products.
- Investments in real estate markets remained brisk in the first half of the year.
|
| 29.7.2011 |
BOFIT Weekly 30/2011 (PDF) |
| Russia |
- Deposit insurance agency to pay out biggest settlement ever.
- OECD: Russia’s innovation policy in need of a make-over.
- New law imposes stricter limits on alcohol sales and advertising.
|
| China |
- China’s high-speed rail network plagued by safety issues and alleged corruption.
- Significant difference in wage levels across provinces and job sectors.
|
| 22.7.2011 |
BOFIT Weekly 29/2011 (PDF) |
| Russia |
- Steady first-half growth; recovery in fixed capital investment yet to occur.
- Inflation rate showed little change in first half.
- Russian stock market closely tracking global economic trends.
- Sberbank expands operations into Central and Eastern Europe.
|
| China |
- Tighter monetary stance reflected in lower import growth in the first half.
- China-North Korea bilateral trade increased by nearly a third in 2010.
- Chinese foreign travel on the rise.
|
| 15.7.2011 |
BOFIT Weekly 28/2011 (PDF) |
| Russia |
- State budget spending set to increase next three years.
- Russia posts large current account surplus.
- Customs inspections at the Russia-Kazakhstan border ended on July 1.
|
| China |
- Economic growth remains strong in second quarter.
- China cuts personal income tax and steepens progressive tax rates.
- Military spending tripled in the past decade; arms im-ports decline.
|
| 8.7.2011 |
BOFIT Weekly 27/2011 (PDF) |
| Russia |
- Rosstat releases first-quarter GDP figures.
- MICEX and RTS bourses sign merger agreement.
- Bank Moskvy restructures.
|
| China |
- China continues to hike rates.
- Strong growth in Chinese FDI outflows abroad; modest slowing in FDI inflow growth.
- China’s Communist Party turns 90.
|
| 1.7.2011 |
BOFIT Weekly 26/2011 (PDF) |
| Russia |
- Sale of state-owned enterprises moving into new phase.
- Russia unchanged in international competitiveness ranking.
|
| China |
- Large debt load of local administrations adding to uncertainty and limiting flexibility in economic policy.
- Premier Wen Jiabao’s 5-day European tour focused on promoting bilateral trade.
|
| 23.6.2011 |
BOFIT Weekly 25/2011 (PDF) |
| Russia |
- Medvedev reiterates reform goals at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.
- Decision taken on reducing social security contributions.
- How will Russians vacation this summer?
|
| China |
- Chinese stock markets continue their slide; interest rates are in rise.
- Rules further relaxed on travel from mainland China to Taiwan.
- China imposes tighter rules on exports of rare earth metals, prices soar.
|
| 17.6.2011 |
BOFIT Weekly 24/2011 (PDF) |
| Russia |
- Russian WTO memberships in the final stretch – again.
- Russian firms shift gradually to internationally accounting practices.
- IMF: Russian economic policy needs to leverage current commodity boom to shift direction.
|
| China |
- China posts strong May economic figures despite tighter monetary policy.
- Growth in household demand continues to slow; car sales down.
- Trade surplus up in May.
|
| 10.6.2011 |
BOFIT Weekly 23/2011 (PDF) |
| Russia |
- No consensus yet on social security contribution amounts.
- Debate over raising the retirement age reignites.
|
| China |
- China finds supervision of credit markets challenging as deregulation proceeds.
- Summer power shortages in China hit early this year.
- Oil and gas deposits create incentive for current bound-ary disputes in South China Sea.
|
| 2.6.2011 |
BOFIT Weekly 22/2011 (PDF) |
| Russia |
- Drafting of 2020 Strategy continues – economic policies discussed.
- CBR raises interest rates again.
- Russia to lift ban on grain exports from start of July.
|
| China |
- United States again refrains from accusing China of manipulating the yuan’s exchange rate.
- China keeps on buying gold.
- Construction and transport projects most afflicted by corruption.
|
| 27.5.2011 |
BOFIT Weekly 21/2011 (PDF) |
| Russia |
- Eurasian Economic Community rides to the rescue of struggling Belarus.
- Important listing of Russian firm on Nasdaq.
|
| China |
- China’s exports to Russia grow rapidly.
- Growing importance of securities on China’s financial markets.
- Drought continues nationally; critical rice production areas experiencing worst dry spell in over 50 years.
|
| 20.5.2011 |
BOFIT Weekly 20/2011 (PDF) |
| Russia |
- GDP grew rapidly in the first quarter.
- Manufacturing industries fared variably during the recession.
- Study explores rise in Russian living standards, increased income disparity and changes in consumption patterns.
|
| China |
- Yuan rapidly gains international acceptance.
- Values of Chinese brands gaining in world markets.
|
| 13.5.2011 |
BOFIT Weekly 19/2011 (PDF) |
| Russia |
- CBR stress test findings show nearly a third of banks likely to fail with recurrence of 2008 financial crisis.
- Inflows of foreign direct investment into Russia showed modest increase in 2010.
|
| China |
- Slight slowdown in economic growth, but inflation remains high.
- Trade surplus boomed in April.
- The United States and China focus on market access at latest strategic and economic dialogue meeting.
|
| 6.5.2011 |
BOFIT Weekly 18/2011 (PDF) |
| Russia |
- CBR keeps raising rates.
- Russia imposes ban on gasoline exports.
|
| China |
- Yuan appreciation against the dollar gains steam.
- Data for China sixth census suggest changing population structure.
- World Bank warns of real estate market risks to the Chinese economy.
|
| 29.4.2011 |
BOFIT Weekly 17/2011 (PDF) |
| Russia |
- Insecurity characterises first-quarter economic performance.
- Budget revenues up sharply; slight increase in spending.
- IMF commends Russian officials for efforts to stabilise banking sector during financial crisis.
|
| China |
- Trucking firms protest rising costs.
- European companies want easier access to China’s massive public procurements market.
- Trade ministers of China, Japan and South Korea met to continue work on drafting an investment policy agreement.
|
| 21.4.2011 |
BOFIT Weekly 16/2011 (PDF) |
| Russia |
- State banks moving aggressively to gain share in the finance sector.
- Russia and Ukraine emerge with little to show from customs union and gas supply talks.
- Kyrgyzstan government to launch negotiations with Russia-Belarus-Kazakhstan customs union.
|
| China |
- New quarterly statistical data suggest slowing economic growth.
- As inflation accelerates, China’s central bank further tightens monetary policy.
- Ballooning foreign currency reserves add to yuan appreciation pressures; no real yuan strengthening in the past 12 months.
|
| 15.4.2011 |
BOFIT Weekly 15/2011 (PDF) |
| Russia |
- Despite rapid import growth, Russia’s trade surplus kept expanding in first quarter.
- Economic development ministry updates its 2011 forecast.
- Economic development ministry downgrades its 2012–2014 forecast.
|
| China |
- IMF sees strong growth for China in coming years.
- Chinese exports boomed in March.
- Economic cooperation tops agenda in visit of Brazil’s president to China this week.
|
| 8.4.2011 |
BOFIT Weekly 14/2011 (PDF) |
| Russia |
- Central bank continues with monetary tightening.
- First results of last year’s population census published.
- Gazprom loses market share in the European natural gas market.
|
| China |
- PBoC raises rates again in battle to tame inflation.
- Profitability of Chinese banks continued to improve last year.
- No change in Taiwan’s share of China's foreign trade.
|
| 1.4.2011 |
BOFIT Weekly 13/2011 (PDF) |
| Russia |
- BOFIT forecast sees brisk GDP growth in 2011-2013
for Russia, despite slowing.
- Russians travelling abroad more, including Finland.
|
| China |
- BOFIT’s latest forecast sees China’s GDP growth slowing to 9 % this year.
- China now the world’s second-largest coal importer.
|
| 25.3.2011 |
BOFIT Weekly 12/2011 (PDF) |
| Russia |
- Large differences in economic recovery in Russian regions neighbouring Finland in 2010.
- Government approves development strategy for banking sector.
|
| China |
- China’s central bank continues monetary tightening.
- China approves 2011 deficit budget.
- Libya crisis should have little impact on China’s energy supply.
|
| 18.3.2011 |
BOFIT Weekly 11/2011 (PDF) |
| Russia |
- Short-term impacts of Japan disasters on the Russian economy likely to be relatively small.
- Large differences in regional industrial growth.
- Despite rise in capital investment, no growth in construction activity last year.
|
| China |
- For China, the most immediate impacts of the Japanese disasters are likely to be felt in trade and tourism.
- National People’s Congress approves 12th five-year plan.
- 12-month inflation still below 5 % in February.
China now the world’s biggest industrial producer.
|
| 11.3.2011 |
BOFIT Weekly 10/2011 (PDF) |
| Russia |
- Public finances improved last year.
- Borrowing of Russian state likely to be lower than forecast this year.
- Consumer prices up 9.5 % y-o-y in February.
|
| China |
- China posts foreign trade deficit for February.
- Incomes rising faster in the countryside than in cities.
- China solidifies its position as world’s biggest energy consumer.
|
| 4.3.2011 |
BOFIT Weekly 9/2011 (PDF) |
| Russia |
- Concern over rising inflation driving central bank policy.
- Finland’s exports to Russia up last year; re-exports not growing.
|
| China |
- National People’s Congress lowers growth target.
- Next five-year plan should clarify China’s environmental goals.
- Strong growth in Finnish exports to China.
|
| 25.2.2011 |
BOFIT Weekly 8/2011 (PDF) |
| Russia |
- Russian foreign trade grew strongly last year.
- Deputy prime minister/finance minister Kudrin demands changes in government economic policies.
|
| China |
- China’s central bank further tightens monetary stance.
- Yuan’s exchange rate dominates Paris G20 discussions.
- Chinese stock markets stabilise in January.
- US ban technology transfers to Chinese telecommunications specialist Huawei.
|
| 18.2.2011 |
BOFIT Weekly 7/2011 (PDF) |
| Russia |
- Banking operations recovered last year.
- State divests a 10 % stake in VTB.
- Russia’s machine-building industry stares into the abyss.
|
| China |
- Inflation picks up; housing’s share of consumer shopping basket increased.
- China’s foreign trade surplus shrank to $6.5 billion in January
- United States files complaint with WTO on China’s domestic electronic payments.
|
| 11.2.2011 |
BOFIT Weekly 6/2011 (PDF) |
| Russia |
- Oil and gas production increased in 2010.
- Moscow plans to accelerate divestment of municipal properties.
|
| China |
- China’s central bank increases reference rates for deposits and credits, effective Feb. 9.
- Severest drought in 60 years puts China on course for major crop failures this year.
- China becomes the world’s fourth biggest international patent-seeker.
|
| 4.2.2011 |
BOFIT Weekly 5/2011 (PDF) |
| Russia |
- Economy recovered and imports soared in 2010.
- Real wages rose and unemployment declined in 2010.
- CBR tightens its monetary stance.
|
| China |
- China systematically raising the yuan’s international profile.
- January PMI shows little change in outlook of Chinese manufacturers.
- Chinese banks posted good profitability numbers throughout the financial crisis.
- China launches property tax trial to restrain rising apartment prices.
|
| 28.1.2011 |
BOFIT Weekly 4/2011 (PDF) |
| Russia |
- Rosneft and BP agree on share-swap and strategic cooperation in the Arctic.
- Despite rapid growth, Russia’s state bureaucracy still not particularly large.
|
| China |
- China’s public sector finances only modestly touched by the global financial crisis.
- Frank discussions of China-US economic relations at last week’s summit in Washington DC.
|
| 21.1.2011 |
BOFIT Weekly 3/2011 (PDF) |
| Russia |
- Russia’s decade-long reform of electricity sector largely successful.
- High oil prices buoy the ruble.
- Current account surplus continued to swell in 2010.
|
| China |
- Chinese GDP up 10.3 % last year.
- On-year inflation dropped to 4.6 % in December.
- China continues to attract FDI as its own investments abroad take off.
|
| 14.1.2011 |
BOFIT Weekly 2/2011 (PDF) |
| Russia |
- High inflation persists.
- State finances in better shape than expected.
- Medvedev specifies regions along Russia’s international borders where foreign land ownership will be restricted.
|
| China |
- China’s trade surplus down in 2010.
- China’s currency reserves approaching $3 trillion.
- China increases military spending.
|
| 7.1.2011 |
BOFIT Weekly 1/2011 (PDF) |
| Russia |
- Public economy reforms under preparation.
- Russian stock exchange posts positive performance in 2010.
|
| China |
- Yuan strengthens against US dollar in final week of 2010.
- China increases dividend demands on state-owned enterprises.
- 2010: An uneventful year for Chinese shares.
|