Today in Russian Business – Dec 2, 2011

In an apparentl last-ditch attempt to woo the electorate with financial gain, Medvedev and Putin have pledged to introduce a new set of pay rises.  Russia’s third-richest man, Mikhail Prokhorov, reportedly has his eye on buying fellow billionaire Suleiman Kerimov’s stake in MFK Bank, says Bloomberg.  The Washington Post looks at the philanthropic urges of banking and metals oligarch Vladimir Potanin, who has just given the Kennedy Center $5 million.  Norilsk Nickel, part owned by Potanin’s Interros, apparently foresees a deficit of metal palladium in 2012 due to depleted stock.   A bad month for automaker AvtoVAZ, which has seen domestic sales fall 17%.