Russia teeters on brink of recession

Hello! Welcome to your weekly guide to the Russian economy, written by Alexander Kolyandr and Alexandra Prokopenko and brought to you by The Bell. This week our top story is a look at data suggesting Russia is very close to entering a recession. We also analyze Russia’s embrace of protectionism, and what it means for foreign companies.

Falls in business activity, output point to imminent economic contraction

The Russian economy, which as recently as the end of last year was showing annual growth of 4.5%, faces not just a slowdown, but a likely recession. The latest official data suggests the economy could dip into negative growth as early as this summer.