The Foreign Trade in Russia: Preliminary Results of the Past Year

Abstract

In January-October 2018, exports of fuel and energy commodities increased by 36% as compared to the relevant period of the previous year (78% relative to the level of 2013). Other goods exports increased by 16%, having returned to the pre-crisis values (103% relative to the level of 2013). In the first ten months, imports increased by 7%, despite depreciation of the real ruble/dollar exchange rate. Growth in imports of some non-food products is evidence of continued recovery of consumer demand. In the geographic pattern of the sales turnover, the share of China grew (+1.0 p.p.) on the back of 1.5-fold growth in exports.