Today in Russian Business – October 14, 2009

Hillary Clinton has expressed hope that Boeing will win a $3 billion contract to supply planes to Russian airline Rosavia.  Sberbank president German Gref seems to be in the dark about the signing of the Opel deal after thanking reporters for informing him that it may take place this week.  Apparently no industrial partner has been chosen as of yet.  Chinese metals giant Chinalco apparently has its eye on Rusal facilities in Australia, but Deripaska’s firm says it has no intention of selling.  The billionaire has suggested breaking RusHydro up into four companies and taking a stake in a large Siberian dam serving his aluminum plants.  Dmitry Medvedev has called upon Alfa Group chief Mikhail Fridman to lead a study of possible ways of seeing the country’s economy out of the crisis.  Russian Standard Vodka’s billionaire owner, Roustam Tariko, has said that company sales are unexpectedly strong.  China, Russia and other members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization have agreed to work together to combat the global economic crisis.  The Hermitage case does not bode well for future foreign investment in Russia, argues Forbes.