During the Russian Economic Forum, in April, deputy head of the Central Bank of Russia, Alexei Ulyukayev, who is in charge of Russia’s monetary policy, spoke to The Banker about the bank’s strategy.
Q Will the CBR target inflation as well as the exchange rate this year?
A The CBR has never publicly said it would target the exchange rates.

Russia’s ratings upgrade has caused a surge of interest in corporate Eurobonds from investors hungry for yield. Ben Aris reports on activity in the country’s bond markets.
In the offices of Moscow City State Debt Committee, the body that organises all of the Russian capital’s debt issues, outsized cheques for hundreds of millions of dollars and euros hang on the wall – money that chairman Sergei Pakhomov has raised for the city.

There has been an explosive rise in company flotations in Russia and plans are afoot to reform the market infrastructure to make IPOs easier. Ben Aris reports.

Competition is the main reason for Russian companies to buy others and realising value is the main reason to sell.Ben Aris reports from Moscow.

Banca Intesa, Italy’s largest bank, has signed a share purchase agreement to acquire a 75% stake in Russia’s Small Business Credit Bank (KMB), a leading provider of lending and leasing to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

US investments have helped to put Serbia on the right track, reports Eric Jansson.

Serbia’s moribund banking system is getting a new lease of life as international banks go shopping. Eric Jansson reports from Belgrade.

The reforming government of Vojislav Kostunica seems to have convinced the international community that Serbia has left its turbulent past behind. But regional tensions remain, and there is still much to be done. 

The Serbian banking sector is working hard to put the setbacks of recent years behind it. Marianne Kager and Sándor Gardó report on progress so far.