... markets, moderate strengthening of the ruble, and a revival of domestic consumer demand. Against this backdrop, the total wealth of Russia's wealthiest businessmen, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index , increased by nearly $20 billion. For investors, analysts, and the wider audience in the CIS, this signals the sustained investment attractiveness of Russian assets even amidst sanctions and geopolitical volatility. 2. Growth Leader: Pavel Durov and the Telegram Ecosystem The absolute leader was Pavel Durov, co-founder of the messaging platform ...

... Agreement, Markets Await Signals from the Fed Global financial markets are closing the week on an optimistic note. The United States and the European Union are on the verge of concluding a significant trade agreement, which is enhancing risk appetite among investors. At the same time, attention is focused on the upcoming Federal Reserve meeting, where it is expected that the monetary policy course will be maintained. In the CIS markets, the key topic remains the recent sharp rate cut by the Bank of Russia and its implications for the ruble and local assets. Below is a detailed overview of key economic and financial news for July 27, 2025, prepared in a business style for ...

... credit costs for the economy. Simultaneously, the commodity segment of the Russian market feels secure due to relatively high prices for oil and metals: although global quotes have corrected, they remain at comfortable levels for Russian exporters. Investors in the CIS region continue to monitor the external backdrop—sanction risks and commodity price dynamics remain key factors. Nevertheless, the overall picture in the Russian market at the beginning of August is characterized by a reduction in uncertainty: a ...

... being established for investments in fintech, artificial intelligence, and infrastructure projects. The venture market in the CIS is also reviving: local funds and corporations are beginning to invest more actively in their startups, and the state is launching ... ... same period in 2024. Successful debuts from several tech companies in the first half of 2025 have encouraged entrepreneurs and investors. For example, stock market debuts of fintech giants, such as Circle (issuer of the USDC stablecoin) and neobank Chime,...

... financial results is still negative, but with less intensity by half. The volatility of this category remains high—changes in exchange rates or interest rates can noticeably affect Gazprom's financial results under RAS regardless of operating profit. For investors from the CIS, it is crucial to understand that such exchange rate and one-off items are largely paper-based: they reflect current revaluation and accounting rules rather than the movement of real money. Nevertheless, they impact reported net loss or profit and ...