In March 2005, as against February, investments grew by 12.3%, and in the first quarter of 2005, as against that of 2004, by 7.6%.
Last year, in March 2004, investments in fixed assets in Russia increased by 12.8%, as against the previous year's indicator, and by 12.1%, as against the previous month. Over the first quarter of 2005, they increased by 13.1% from the first quarter of 2004.
In January-February 2005, Russia's foreign trade turnover (by the methodology of the balance of payments) amounted to $47.017 billion showing a 33.3% rise from the respective 2004 period. Exports over the same period amounted to $32.26 billion (a rise by 38.3% from last year), and imports - to $14.757 billion (up by 23.6%).
Thus, in January-February 2005, Russia had an export surplus of $17.503 billion.
In February 2005, Russia's foreign trade increased by 35.4% from February 2004, and by 14.7% from January 2005 - to $25.12 billion. Exports amounted to $17.022 billion, and imports - to $8.098 billion. As against February 2004 and January 2005, exports increased by 40.9% and 11.7%, and imports - by 25% and 21.6%, respectively.
Over the January-February 2005 period, the share of loss-making enterprises in Russia decreased by 0.8 percentage points, to 38.7%, as compared to the respective 2004 period.
The consolidated budget (profit minus loss) of organizations (excluding agricultural organizations, small businesses, banks, and insurance and state-financed organizations) in current prices was positive (with profits exceeding losses) and amounted to Rbs.464.4 billion.
Some 43,100 organizations made profits totaling Rbs.529.2 billion, and 27,200 organizations incurred losses amounting to Rbs.64.8 billion.
In January-February 2004, the organizations' consolidated budget (for a comparable number of organizations) totaled Rbs.344 billion.
Russia's base inflation level was 0.8% in March and surged to 2.4% since the start of the year.
It was formerly reported that Russia's inflation was at 1.3% in March, as against the February indicator. The official dollar/ruble exchange rate rose by 0.2%, and the euro/ruble rate dropped by 1.6%.
