Today in Russian Business – July 7, 2009

Accompanying Barack Obama to Moscow are US business chiefs: a joint venture between Boeing and VSMPO-Avisma, a Russian titanium producer, may be among the projects kick started.  Businessweek reports on Russia-US relations in terms of investment.   Putin says that Russia does not intend to extend the farm machinery tariffs that have been damaging to US manufacturers.  An article in the Times suggests that ‘how well’ Russia has handled the financial crisis gives the Kremlin an advantage in their negotiations with Obama.  Russia may base the 2010 budget on $55 oil, says Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin.  Farmers will reportedly harvest 5.6% less grain this year than initially predicted.  The CEO of Rushydro, Vasily Zubakin, plans to buy 1.95 million shares in the company this month.  Putin has tried to give the car industry a boost by ordering that more loans be offered to those buying expensive models.  Russian Railways plans to offer retail units to rent in stations throughout the country.  Krasair Airlines has declared bankruptcy.   A former worker for Goldman Sachs, Russian programmer Sergey Aleynikov, has been charged with ‘theft of trade secrets‘.