Today in Russian Business

The government has drawn up rules for foreign investors that will allow them access, under certain conditions, to large deposits of oil, gas, copper and gold. Russia insists it has the financial strength to control borrowing by its firms abroad after Standard & Poor‘s ratings agency cited heavy corporate debt as a key risk to the country’s economy. HSBC, Europe’s biggest bank, is to invest $200 million of new capital to expand in Russia. Russian airlines will need to add 921 new airplanes by 2026 to replace their aging fleets and to meet growing demand for passenger air travel. United Company RusAl has secured a $4.5 billion loan from a group of Western banks to fund the acquisition of a blocking stake in Norilsk Nickel. The company also said social unrest near its alumina and bauxite complex in Guinea was “stabilizing” after agreed power supplies were restored to the town. Caterpillar, the world’s largest maker of construction and mining equipment, will become one of the first Western countries in its industry to move production into Russia. Taiwanese electronics parts maker Hon Hai plans to build a $49.6 million plant in Russia. Metals giant Norilsk Nickel offered to sell its 1% in Russia’s No.1 gold miner Polyus Gold.