RIA Novosti

Main News of February 10

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 19:59:00 GMT

A roundup of what has happened in the past 24 hours

MICEX-RTS Exchange May Hold IPO Late 2012

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:37:00 GMT

The integrated MICEX-RTS stock exchange may hold an Initial Public Offering in the fourth quarter of 2012 in case of favorable market conditions, Bank of Russia First Deputy Chairman Alexei Ulyukayev said in Cyprus on Friday.

Gazprom May Bid for Cypriot Shelf in Spring

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 11:22:00 GMT

Russian gas giant Gazprom may participate in a tender to develop hydrocarbons on the southern shelf of Cyprus this spring, Georgiy Petrov, vice-president of Russia's Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said on Friday.

Kudrin Sees Eurozone Crisis Continuing 2-3 Yrs

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 08:17:00 GMT

The European Union will continue to grapple with a debt crisis for the next two or three years, Russia's former finance minister Alexei Kudrin said on Friday.

No Merger Between Polymetal, Polyus Gold – Paper

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 07:58:00 GMT

Shareholders of Russian precious metal miners Polymetal and Polyus Gold decided not to merge their gold assets to create the world's ninth-biggest gold maker, Vedomosti business daily reported on Friday quoting sources.

Main News of February 9

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:59:00 GMT

Greek Deputy Labor Minister Resigns in Protest

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:20:00 GMT

Greek Deputy Labor and Social Security Minister Yiannis Koutsoukos resigned on Thursday as a sign of a protest against the government’s decision to cut wages and pensions in exchange for European financial assistance.

Greece Agrees to Fresh Austerity Measures

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:39:00 GMT

Greek political leaders have finally struck a deal on new austerity measures demanded by creditors to secure a 130-billion euro bailout to avoid default and keep the country afloat, local media reported on Thursday.

Aeroflot Rejects U.S. Travel Agency Charges, Plans Countersuit

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:17:00 GMT

Russian flagship airline Aeroflot has rejected extortion accusations of U.S. Riviera Travel & Tours and is preparing to file a countersuit for slander and defamation, Aeroflot said on Thursday.

Putin Sets Out Blueprint for Russian Business

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:38:00 GMT

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin set out his agenda for the future of Russian business on Thursday at a meeting with entrepreneurs, promising less regulation and taxes and asking business to help plan its future.

Stop Bullying Business Putin Says

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 11:53:00 GMT

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin called on Thursday for a review of the penal code to ease pressure and harassment of business.

VTB Buyback Decision Taken to Protect Reputation – Putin

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 11:21:00 GMT

The Russian government’s decision that Russia’s second largest bank VTB should hold a share buy-back to compensate losses to shareholders in the bank's "people’s IPO" was taken to protect the bank’s reputation in the eyes of society and investors, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said on Thursday.

Russian State Banks Disclose Executive Income

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:27:00 GMT

Russian state-controlled banks have submitted information on their top managers’ incomes and their business transactions, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said on Thursday.

U.S. Travel Agency Files $3.5 Bln Suit Against Aeroflot

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:21:00 GMT

U.S. Riviera Travel & Tours filed a nearly $3.5 billion suit in District Court Central District of California against Russian flagship airline Aeroflot accusing it of extortion, RAPSI legal news agency reported on Thursday.

VTB Head Calls for Business to Support Authority

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 09:51:00 GMT

Russian business should support the authorities in the run-up to the presidential election, VTB bank head Andrei Kostin said on Thursday at a business lobby group meeting.

VTB to Make up Losses for People's IPO Buyers

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 08:34:00 GMT

Russia’s second-largest banking group, VTB, intends to buy back shares sold in a "people's IPO" in 2007 at the original offer price or almost double the current market price, Mikhail Zadornov, head of the bank’s retail arm, VTB-24, said on Thursday.

Greece Hopes for Aid Despite Pension Cut Deadlock

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 07:31:00 GMT

Greece hopes the EU will grant a second bailout worth 130 billion euros despite the government's failure to secure agreement on pension cuts at a marathon meeting that ended early on Thursday morning.

Russia's GDP Growth to Fall to 3% - HSBC

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:27:00 GMT

Russia's gross domestic product growth will slow down to three percent at the end of 2012 and to 2.5 percent next year, HSBC Chief Economist for Russia and the CIS Alexander Morozov said on Wednesday.

Defense Ministry Drops Contracts for ‘Inferior’ Arms

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 12:27:00 GMT

Substandard and uncertified models of arms and military equipment have been excluded from the 2012 state defense order, Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov said on Wednesday.

Russian Helicopters Denies China Mi-2 Project

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 11:11:00 GMT

Russian Helicopters, the holding that combines Russia's rotorcraft design and manufacturing enterprises, has denied press reports that it intends to take part in a joint venture to produce Mi-2A light helicopters in China.

Perfumers Ask State to Take Scents Off Alcohol List

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 10:24:00 GMT

Russian perfume producers have called on the government to scrap a requirement for their goods to be classed the same way as alcoholic drinks, which has brought two-thirds of Russian producers to a standstill, Vedomosti business paper reported on Wednesday.

Polymetal Consolidates Big Siberian Gold Deposit

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 09:44:00 GMT

Russian gold and silver miner Polymetal has consolidated a 100 percent stake in Amikan, which controls the Veduga gold deposit in West Siberia, Polymetal said on Wednesday.

Ukraine Accuses Russia of Turning Down Gas Supply

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:46:00 GMT

Russia is supplying 12 percent less gas to the Ukrainian gas transportation system than stipulated in a bilateral contract, Ukrainian Energy Minister Yuriy Boyko said on Wednesday.

Citibank Opens Russian-Language Branch in New York

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:06:00 GMT

Citibank has opened a new branch offering Russian-language services in Brooklyn's Brighton Beach district, known for its large population of Russian-speaking immigrants, the bank said on Wednesday.

Ukraine Tops List of Russian Vodka Importers

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 10:26:00 GMT

Ukraine imported 27 percent or 1.4 million deciliters of overall export of Russian vodka in 2011, Kommersant business daily said on Tuesday quoting statistics of the Federal Customs Service.