When Russian statistics agency published the latest data on economic growth for 1Q, the numbers came in at -1.9%, of 0.3% higher than the previous forecast by the Ministry for Economic Development (MED).
Based on the latest data from the MED, we have:
- GDP growth at -1.4% in January (y/y figures), -1.3% in February, -2.7% in March, and -4.2% in April.
- April decline, therefore was faster than in 1Q 2014, resulting in GDP contraction of 2.4% y/y in the first four months of 2015.
This deflates all hopes for economic stabilisation thesis as both March and April posted accelerating rates of economic contraction, with figure for April simply impossible to ignore, even though, in part, it was driven by faster growth in April 2014.
Seasonally-adjusted data is a little more encouraging: January 2015 real GDP decline was 1% m/m, followed by 0.9% m/m drop in February, March at -0.9%, and April at -0.8%. So we do have some moderation in monthly contraction, although
- This is seasonally-adjusted preliminary data, subject to potentially hefty revisions and seasonality impacts; and
- Latest PMIs are not encouraging (see manufacturing for May here: http://trueeconomics.blogspot.ie/2015/06/1615-russian-manufacturing-pmi-may-2015.html posting worsening conditions in May, and April data for services and composite here: http://trueeconomics.blogspot.ie/2015/05/7515-russian-services-and-composite.html).
In March, industrial production generally stagnated, with April posting a contraction of 1.2% m/m. In mining, March turned up positive output growth, with April again falling into contraction at -0.4%. Production and distribution of electricity, gas and water contributed positively to GDP growth in April, up 0.9%. Manufacturing posted -1.8% contraction in April. Agriculture posted zero growth in April, having expanded in 1Q 2015.
Fixed investment fell 0.7% in April, compared to -0.2% in March, construction was flat in April, after posting declines in January-March.
Retail sales were down 0.9% in April for goods trade and 0.6% in household services. Real disposable household income grew in April by 0.2%, while real wages shrunk 2%.
Meanwhile, official unemployment remained at 5.6% in April, although this figure is heavily skewed to the downside by several factors:
- Significant decline in the numbers of migrant workers (see http://trueeconomics.blogspot.ie/2015/05/31515-remittances-from-russia-sharply.html);
- Large shifts in employment from official enterprises to grey and black economy;
- Demographic trends of shrinking working age population (note: Russia did return to actual population growth in 2013 and 2014, but working age population has been declining since 2006).
Total exports of good stood at USD32.7 billion or 31.3% lower than in April 2014, having rise 0.9% m/m relative March.. Imports of goods amounted to USD16.2 billion, 41.8% lower than in April 2014 and down 7.2% on March 2015. So trade balance was down 16.6% y/y to USD16.5 billion.
The good news came from a slowdown in inflation in April. In January, monthly inflation was 3.2%, falling in February to 2.2% and 1.2% in March. April inflation was 0.5% on a monthly basis and in January-April consumer prices rose 7.9%.
Full details of the latest releases in Russian are here.
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