... other assets. With higher incomes, some funds will flow into the real economy – activities like starting small businesses or expanding existing ones – which indirectly improves the business climate. Some individuals may hedge a potentially weaker ruble by buying foreign currency or gold. However, if the economic forecast for Russia holds true and inflation slows, ruble-denominated assets (stocks, bonds, real estate) should in general outperform passive holdings in currency or precious metals. ...

... Despite the difficult environment, individual deals are still happening in the region. For example, the fintech startup Investbanq from Kazakhstan recently attracted about $3 million, and the Russian company ARS Smart Robotics received about 249 million rubles at the pre-IPO stage to expand its business. Although the scale of these rounds is incomparable with the multi-million dollar deals of Silicon Valley, the local venture market is gradually adapting to the new conditions. Regional investors are ...

... ExxonMobil and Chevron: any surprises from these global leaders could influence assessments of Russian oil and gas outlooks. Additionally, the U.S. Non-Farm Payrolls statistics could affect global investor sentiment and, indirectly, the exchange rate of the ruble through changes in risk appetite. In the absence of internal news, external economic events and corporate earnings reports will dictate the dynamics of the local market on this day. What Investors Should Pay Attention To The first day of August ...

... on AI startups. Furthermore, various countries are launching technology support funds with the participation of governments and large banks. For instance, in Russia, the Center for Unmanned Systems is considering launching a fund of several billion rubles to invest in early-stage startups in autonomous systems and artificial intelligence. These initiatives show that, despite the concentration of capital among large VC firms, fresh money and expertise are flowing into the venture ecosystem to support ...

... The state and businesses are launching new funds and support programs to stimulate technological projects in the region. At the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum 2025, the PSB Bank venture fund was announced with partners (volume ~12 billion rubles) to finance dual-purpose projects (drones, AI, robotics, etc.). A state fund, Qazaqstan Venture Group, valued at $1 billion, has been established in Kazakhstan to support AI startups in Central Asia. In July 2025, rules for foreign investors in ...