Russian inflation down to 4.4% by mid-March, below Econ Ministry and Central Bank expectations - Oreshkin
MOSCOW. March 16 (Interfax) - Inflation in Russia continues to slow and was 4.4% in annual terms by March 13, lower than the Economic Development Ministry and Central Bank expected.
"Inflation continues its steady fall. As of March 13, this was 4.4% in annual terms, far below any forecasts that we saw at the end of last year. And, what is very important from the point of view of what happens next, current levels are below the Economic Development Ministry's forecast and below the Central Bank's forecast," Maxim Oreshkin, the Economic Development Minister, said at a Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RUIE) congress.
The Economic Development Ministry and Central Bank are forecasting 4% inflation for 2017.
Oreshkin also said that "now we can generally say with certainty that the adaptation phase of the economy's development is over and that there is a progression to a new cycle of economic growth."
"If we look at 2017 in general, then our expectations here are fairly upbeat - we're expecting 2% GDP growth. But if we don't concentrate on a number of structural changes, then of course the dynamic will start to peter out little by little," he said.
"And clearly the goals that the president has put before us are far more ambitious than growth rates for the Russian economy not below the world average," he said. Oreshkin said that this is what the plan of action being drafted by the government was aimed at achieving. "We're inviting representatives of the RUIE and of other business associations to participate in 10 working groups that will fine-tune the plan," he said.
