NEWSWATCH: “Russian retail slump clouds forecasts for economic recovery” – Reuters

January 26, 2017 JRL Russia List Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Newslinks

File Photo of Older Russian Woman Shopping in Grocery Store

Russian retail sales fell more than expected in December, official data showed on Wednesday, challenging the government’s optimistic predictions for an imminent economic recovery. Retail sales are the largest contributor to Russian gross domestic product and have suffered steep falls since the economy entered a deep slump in 2014, when oil prices collapsed and the West imposed sanctions over the Ukraine crisis.