'Both Russia and the whole world are facing two major risks: firstly, the falling oil prices, and secondly, the inflation in Russia. These are the two things that are going to affect the Russian economy most,’ URSA Bank’s First Deputy GD Vladislav Khokhlov said to UrBC. 'This is why a bank deposit is a guarantee that your money will be protected from the inflation, yet it hardly brings you any profit because last year’s inflation rate as well as this year’s one are quite high (and reach between 10% and 12%). These figures are totally comparable with what the private banks offer in

According to the profitability ranking of unit investment trusts as of February 4, 2008, the share prices of one of Alfa Capital Management Company’s trusts has gone down by 12.40% since the beginning of the year.

Yekaterinburg Consumer Rights Committee reports they received three complaints related to automobile breakdowns due to poor quality gasoline in January 2008. In two out of the three complaints, the car owners blamed Yekaterinburgnefteprodukt. One of the drivers claims his car broke down due to excessive soluble gum content in the gasoline he bought at this company’s gas station, the other reports the gas did not meet the governmental standards - again, because of excessive soluble gum content.

Central Bank of Russia reports volume of loans given by Sverdlovsk Gubernskiy Bank to sole traders for 181 days to 1 year dropped by 73.43% (from 31.588 million RUR to 8.385 million RUR) in January-December 2007.

A roller-hearth furnace was launched again after a major overhaul at Pervouralsk New Pipe Plant (part of ChTPZ Group). The furnace is meant for production of hot-rolled pipes. This equipment is very significant for the whole plant’s performance, as it is used for the thermal treatment of pipes to be exported. It cost the plant over 70 million RUR to restore the furnace. Some of the old parts were replaced with the new ones made of modern durable materials, which both makes the furnace easier to use and cuts down on labor and material expenses. In addition, the furnace now consumes less gas,

One square meter of a Yekaterinburg-based dwelling was available for 64,062 RUR on average on February 5, 2008. According to the Ural Chamber of Real Estate, this figure has remained the same for nearly four weeks, with only a slight decrease in the price of homes located downtown: the price went down by .2% and amounted to 80,150 RUR. As for the second best, third- and fourth-level residential areas, prices dropped by .3%-.4% and amounted to 67,123 RUR, 57,684 RUR, and 55,447 RUR per one square meter of dwelling, respectively. Housing prices are not likely to rise dramatically at the

According to the profitability ranking of unit investment trusts as of February 4, 2008, the share price of one of Troika Dialog Management Company’s trusts has gone down by 10.43% since the beginning of the year.

According to the Central Bank of Russia, volume of for-profit self-regulatory organizations’ deposits in Tyumenenergobank valid for 31 to 90 days plummeted by 100% (from 5 million RUR to zero) in January-December 2007.

'All of Active-Invest’s characteristics indicate that this company is an obvious swindle that is likely to use its investors’ money on the foreign exchange market,’ Finam Management Management Company’s Chief Economist Alexander Osin said to UrBC. Active-Invest has launched a massive advertising campaign devoted to an investment project that anyone can take part in to make more money. The profits are allegedly to come from the trading operations on Forex foreign exchange market. To join in, one has to sign an agreement backed up by one or two guarantors who are already in the project.

Rus-Rating, the rating agency, affirmed URSA Bank’s Credit Rating at BB+ thanks to the bank’s impressive share of the regional market, transparent and clear ownership structure, nice corporate management, general financial success, and the fact that the bank has some globally recognized international organizations among its proprietors. URSA Bank has also been rated by Moody’s (the agency affirmed the bank’s Credit Rating at Ba3, with the Stable Rating Outlook) and Fitch (the agency affirmed the bank’s Credit Rating at B, with the Positive Rating Outlook). This positive rating results from

Ural Treasures Bank came up with a new deposit offer for its customers. The new deposit scheme, known as Classic, only requires that you invest at least 6,000 RUR, $200, or ?200 for three, six, twelve, or twenty-four months. The annual interest rate is determined at 10.5% to 13.5% for ruble deposits, 6.5% to 9.5% for dollar deposits, and 5.5% to 8.5% for Euro deposits. You can’t top up your account, and the interest is paid at the end of the deposit period. Apart from this, Ural Treasures Bank made some changes in its Pensioner’s deposit scheme. Now, you can deposit at least 1,500 RUR for

The Ural Bank for Reconstruction and Development coordinated this year’s second investment workshop devoted to the basics of successful stock market operations. The workshop was mainly targeted at shaping the participants’ general ideas on how to invest in stock market themselves and take independent decisions regarding selling or buying of securities. In the first part of the seminar, the bank’s experts told the attendees about the structure of the securities market, its main operational tools, and the conditions one needs to start operating independently; in addition, a short introduction

Central Bank of Russia reports volume of loans given by UniCreditBank to non-resident legal entities for 181 days to 1 year went down by 86.76% (from 3,458,914,000 RUR to 457,791,000 RUR) in January-December 2007.

RusRating confirmed credit ratings of Russian banks on February 1, 2008. SKB-Bank’s credit rating was confirmed at BB-, which is better than the rating of many large Moscow-based banks. SKB-Bank’s rating was originally confirmed by the agency at B+ in August 2006 and was promoted to BB- in July 2007. The agency’s analysts say SKB Bank’s rating is based on the fact that SKB-Bank is a medium-sized provincial bank (one of the largest in Sverdlovsk Region, though) that has been cooperating intensely with the region’s authorities for a long time. In addition, it can boast a well-developed

According to the rating of unit investment trusts as of January 31, 2008, the share price of Rus-Capital-Neftegas (Rus-Capital Management Company) went down by 17.08% between January1, 2008 and January 31, 2008.

Central Bank of Russia reports volume of loans given by VUZ Bank to sole traders for 181 days to 1 year went down by 21.99% (from 100.568 million RUR to 78.454 million RUR) in January-December 2007.

The value of net assets of Energy – Mixed Investments (the unit investment trust) managed by Eurogreen Management Company Ltd. went down by .35% between January 29, 2008 and January 30, 2008. According to Eurogreen’s website, the company’s net assets decreased from 3,000,884.18 RUR on January 29, 2008 to 2,990,409 RUR on January 30, 2008.

This February, the division of Rostechnadzor (the state technological, environmental, and nuclear safety watchdog) in Ural Federal District is going to inspect a number of companies operating in the Urals, their press officer reports. Among these companies are Koltsovo airport of Yekaterinburg, Sverdlovsk Region Railways, Sverdlovskavtodor, Zavod RTI, and some others. It has been reported that 70% of these inspections are scheduled ones, while the remaining 30% are necessitated by some specific purposes. In addition, the inspectors intend to check the enterprises’ compliance with their

Nizhniy Tagil Iron & Steel Works (part of Evraz Group) is planning to fully upgrade its railway-wheel facilities in 2008. The final stage of the reconstruction includes restoration of the shop meant for thermal treatment of wheels, the spokesperson for Evraz Group said to UrBC. At the end of 2007, the enterprise signed a special agreement with a German firm regarding the delivery, assembling, start-up and commissioning of the new equipment. After the project has been completed, the company will become capable of giving thermal treatment to about 100 railway wheels an hour. This thermal

'The current market situation shows that mortgage loans are enjoying increasing demand as far as customers are concerned. Banks, on their part, are trying to limit the number of low-quality loans as well as offer them to the people with the most dependable paying capacity,’ Ural Treasures Bank’s Mortgage Loans Sales Director Olga Naumova said to UrBC. The Mortgage Lending Agency modified the standards of offering, refinancing, and servicing of mortgage loans. For instance, mortgages provided by banks after January 31, 2008, aren't subject to refinancing given that the sum of the