Russia Entering Recession on US and EU Sanctions, says IMFBy Nigel WilsonApril 30, 2014 11:10 BSTA pro-Russian activist holds a mace outside the regional government headquarters in Luhansk, eastern Ukraine(Reuters)Russia is already "experiencing recession" with six months of negative economic growth a probability, according the International Monetary Fund.Ongoing uncertainty over the crisis in Ukraine is weighing on Russia's economy, the Fund's mission chief to Moscow Antonio Spilimbergo added."If you understand by recession two quarters of negative economic growth then Russia is experiencing recession now," Spilimbergo told reporters on Wednesday.Russia's economy shrunk in the first three months of this year and the IMF man's comments show that the fund expects that trend to continue for another three months.RelatedWhat do US Russia Sanctions Mean for Putin?Russia's Foreign Minister Slams 'Weak' West over SanctionsGazprom Says Tougher Russia Sanctions Could Disrupt Europe's Gas SupplyRussia Lashes Out at European Union Over SanctionsRussian Confusion Over High Tech Sanctions ImpactRussia suffered severe capital flight in the first quarter of 2014,Nike Air Max 2012 Mens Green Black, as investors withdrew $50.6bn (��30bn, �36.6bn) as Russia intervened in Ukraine and annexed Crimea. Some analysts have estimated that capital outflow reached more than the $63bn total that left Russia in 2013.Russia's finance minister Anton Siluanov warned last week that the country's economy was likely to flatline in 2014.His announcement was followed by gloomy news from Russia's finance minister Alexei Ulyukaev who said the economy had contracted in the first quarter by around 0.5% compared to the same period the year before.Since then,Nike Air Max 2011 UK, Western countries have slapped economic sanctions on Russia,Nike Air Max 2012 Blue Black White, accusing the country of disavowing an international agreement to de-escalate the violent crisis engulfing Ukraine.Washington and Brussels accuse Russia of fomenting unrest in Ukraine's eastern towns and cities, where pro-Russian militias have seized and continue to occupy a number of government buildings.RelatedUkraine Crisis: Masked Far-Right Activists Carrying Flaming Torches Fight in Kiev
US Economy Hit by Adverse Cold Weather ConditionsBy M RochanApril 30, 2014 11:29 BSTCold weather seen chipping away at US economic growth.ReutersAn unusually cold winter and adverse weather may have knocked off 1.4 percentage points from the US gross domestic product (GDP) growth.The US will put out its first-quarter growth data at 1330 hrs BST.The American GDP probably grew at a 1.2% annual rate during the January-March first quarter, revealed a Reuters poll of economists. The world's leading economy expanded 2.6% during the October-December fourth-quarter.US financial markets and Federal Reserve officials are likely to ignore the slowdown in growth.Fed officials, who have already written off the first-quarter as being hit by harsh weather, are expected to announce a further reduction in the central bank's bond buying stimulus later in the day.The Fed communique is due at 19:00 hrs BST.Commerzbank Corporates & Markets said in a note to clients: "While the market is still left in the dark as regards ECB monetary policy the Fed is currently acting as a shining example in predictability - certainly as far as [30 April's] Fed meeting is concerned. The recent economic data is likely to have confirmed Fed expectations. The cold winter meant that the year got off to a weak start."GDP is likely to have recorded (annualised) growth of only just 1.0% in Q1,Nike Air Max 2012 Black Fluorescence Green, following 2.3% qoq in Q3. However, the data currently available confirms that this period of weakness has been overcome. As a result the Fed will [on 30 April] reduce its bond purchases by a further $10bn to then $45bn per month. It will once again confirm the key rate corridor at 0.00% to 0.25%.""The communiqu�� is unlikely to provide any news on the subject of ra