Today in Russian Business – September 30, 2010

An article in the Moscow Times considers how foreign businesses operating in Moscow will find the post-Luzhkov climate; stagnation in the interim and a fear of needing to start over with new authorities are among the negative factors mentioned.  The head of private equity giant Carlyle Group has told Reuters how the company is wary of investing in Russia, due to fears over demographic deficit and the fact that the country has not succeeded in diversifying its economy sufficiently.  Lender VEB has resurrected the idea of creating a giant retail bank based on its subsidiary Svyaz-bank, in the vein of Japan’s Post Bank and German Deutsche Postbank, which could be a powerful rival to Sberbank.  It would seem the sight of Vladimir Putin cruising in a bright yellow  Lada Kalina Sport has done wonders for the car’s sales figures..