UrBC, Moscow, September 29, 2015. The sales of smartphones dropped by 6%, down to 15m units, in Russia over the eight months of 2015, Interfax refers to Euroset as saying. In the meantime, the price of a smartphone averaged 9,600 RUR in late August, which is 16% more than a year earlier. ‘The price factor was not the decisive one, based on customer feedback this year. Even at the time of an economic downfall, customers do not look for the cheapest deals. What they do look for are technical parameters first, price and brand loyalty second. Thus brand loyalty is not on top of the list any more.

UrBC, Yekaterinburg, September 29, 2015. The winter of 2015/2016 might turn out to be very difficult for the Urals’ tourist market. Most likely, no new destinations or last-minute deals will be on offer, Zima Leto Group’s press center reports. ‘The growing US dollar and euro exchange rates will result in foreign travel getting pricier, but the price increases will vary. The least popular destinations will actually increase in price the most, and these might grow up to 40% more costly. As for the more mass-market destinations such as the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Thailand, and Greece,

UrBC, Yekaterinburg, September 29, 2015. The number of purchase and sales agreements relating to office space dropped by 30% to 40% in Yekaterinburg this year compared with the year 2014, Severnaya Kazna Commercial Estate Director Sergei Chupin said at a press conference. Chupin says the number of rental and lease contracts also declined by 15% to 20%. ‘This means the Ural business community en masse is now switching to less expensive segments. The market’s overall downward trend has to do with the dramatic economic downfall, a 30% decline in investments, loans getting more expensive, and

UrBC, Yekaterinburg, September 29, 2015. The average rental price for Yekaterinburg’s street retailers dropped by 21% between January and September, Head of Ural Real Estate Chamber’s Analytic Department Mikhail Khorkov said at a press conference. ‘At the same time, the average price of a purchase and sale deal in the same sector only decreased by 5%. The main reason behind these decreases is the losses currently incurred by Sverdlovsk Region’s retailers. Besides, quite a few investors leaving the market made its impact as well,’he said. Khorkov said the rental price only went down by 1% in

UrBC, Yekaterinburg, September 29, 2015. Uralvagonzavod Corporation’s head plant celebrated Machine-Builder’s Day recently. The leading Russian industry’s best workers took part in a solemn ceremony at I.V. Okunev Palace of Culture in Nizhniy Tagil, the company press service reports. The plant’s Chief Engineer Yuri Shangin addressed the audience on behalf of the management: ‘Ours is a multi-industry enterprise, so a third of our workers celebrate Metallurgist’s Day, another third celebrate Railway Worker’s Day, and yet another third celebrate Tankman’s Day. However, we are also each and every