Year: 2008

April 30, 2008

In Russia, “Snob is a Compliment”

Last week we reported on the strange launch of a new magazine for Russia’s ultra wealthy called “Snob.” Now the wealth report blog over at the Wall Street Journal checks in… At the American Express Luxury Summit in Californ...
April 30, 2008

Video: Interview with James Beadle of Pilgrim Asset Management

Ever wonder where all that Russian capital goes? I found this to be an interesting look into investment in Russia. Notice when Beadle talks about high placed bureaucrats who have their eyes on certain energy assets, are sometimes unable to to seiz...
April 30, 2008

Russia Regains its IPO Crown

Things were looking a little slow for Russian finance for a while there. No doubt many of those analysts pushing the “decoupling” argument got fired after the RTS tanked amid the credit crisis on Wall Street, and despite politicians bo...
April 30, 2008

Energy Blast – April 30, 2008

Russia will increase natural gas exports to Pacific Rim countries from the current 3% to 30% of its total exports by 2020. Gazprom says Russia will be able to completely satisfy the growing demand for gas in Greece. The two countries have signed a...
April 30, 2008

Today in Russian Business – April 30, 2008

The US Department of Agriculture says Russia has banned US pork imports from two Tyson Fresh Meats plants and two Farmland Foods plants as of May 5. VTB, Russia’s second largest bank, has launched a $1 billion loan into syndication. Gold and...
April 30, 2008

RA’s Daily Russia News Blast – April 30, 2008

TODAY: Foreign Ministry threatens retaliatory measures for Georgia, denies it is preparing for military confrontation; Lithuania blocks Russia-EU progress; Boris Nemtsov’s white paper; Medvedev says Russian media has become “a bit boring” due to t...
April 29, 2008

Grigory Pasko: Finland’s Perspective on Nord Stream

Nord Stream – from a Finnish perspective: interviews with Heidi Hautala and Erkki Hollo By Grigory Pasko, journalist In one of the magazine articles, the author, clearly sympathetic towards «Gazprom» and its latest spawn – Nord Stream – wrote: “No...
April 29, 2008

Give Medvedev a Chance, Says Poland

Yes, that’s right – Poland, the same country whose leaders have so regularly berated and criticized Vladimir Putin, is now declaring the second coming with the presidency of Dmitry Medvedev. Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski ha...
April 29, 2008

Video: Georgian Pleas for Help Fall on Deaf Ears

Giorgi Baramidze, Georgia’s Deputy Prime Minister, has an interview with CNN in which he expresses exasperation with the strained friendships with Western governments, who have done little to help with Tbilisi’s problems with Moscow. A...