Russia’s foreign trade turnover rose 25.3 percent to $210.8bn in actual prices (RUR 6.47 trillion). The country’s exports totaled $135.4bn (RUR 4.156 trillion, up 26.2 percent), and imports rose to $75.4bn (RUR 2.315 trillion, up 23.7 percent).

According to customs statistics, Russia’s foreign trade turnover amounted to $191.1bn. Exports were $133.7bn, including $20.5bn to the CIS countries, and imports were $57.4bn, including $13.6bn from the CIS countries.

According to the State Statistics Committee, capital investments in Russia amounted to RUR 117.3bn in January 2004, 13.7 percent more than in December 2003. The total amount of investments dropped 66.6 percent compared with December 2003 (RUR 350.9bn).

Industrial production increased 7.5 percent in January 2004 compared with January 2003, and it dropped 6.4 percent compared with December 2003, according to the Statistics Committee. The producer price index was 104.2 percent in January 2004, and consumer prices rose 1.8 percent compared to December 2003.

A rise in manufacturing prices in January is due to a significant increase in producer prices in the fuel industry (10.9 percent). Electricity tariffs rose 4 percent, and prices for ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgical products increased 3.7 percent and 2.9 percent, respectively.

The State Statistics Committee also said Russia had increased its oil production by 10.2 percent to 36m tons in January 2004 compared with January 2003.