INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
The Russian manufacturing sector remained in decline in April, though at a slower pace, as easing contractions in output and new orders
coincided with the weakest rise in input costs since early 2020, S&P Global reported.The seasonally adjusted S&P Global Russia Manufacturing
slowdown in output and new sales was linked to continued subdued demand in both domestic and international markets, with companies citing
reduced customer purchasing power and heightened competition as key factors limiting growth.After strong economic gains in 2024, the Central
cooling of the economy this year was widely expected.While the authorities are trying to engineer a soft landing for the economy, it remains
economy is hitting its pre-Covid structural ceiling while allocating vast resources to the war and distributing large cash payments to
stagnation, further dragged down by declining investment in resource extraction, said Trickett.Finance Minister Anton Siluanov took a more
optimistic tone, predicting that economic growth in Russia is expected to be 1.8% in 2025 in the high-risk scenario, compared with 2.5% in
the base scenario.bne IntelliNewsTotal new orders declined for the second month, with new export sales also falling, S&P Global reports
Despite this, manufacturers showed resilience in purchasing activity, which rose for the first time in three months, albeit fractionally
Inventories of both pre- and post-production goods continued to fall as firms utilised stock to support current output levels.Input cost
Output charge inflation also slowed, reaching its weakest pace since January 2023, as firms aimed to price goods competitively and stimulate
replace voluntary leavers due to sufficient capacity.Work backlogs fell at their fastest rate in two-and-a-half years, while suppliers'
delivery times stabilized to most consistent level since November 2019
Some firms noted improved input availability amid lower demand, though others continued to face logistical delays.Despite softening orders
appeared in bne IntelliNews.
