Russia's positive balance of trade increased in 2017, ensuring a steady BoP position. The private sector saw capital outflow in 2017, mostly because Russian banks had trimmed foreign-exchange liabilities. The rouble appreciated on the back of stable balance of payments

The third quarter of 2018 saw Russia register the highest positive BoP on record on the back of growth in country's exports amid higher oil prices and decline in imports induced by rouble depreciation. BoP data show that non-residents continued to reduce their investment in the Russian economy....

The Bank of Russia decided in June to keep the key interest rate unchanged because of worsening geopolitical uncertainty, capital outflows from developing countries as a consequence of tighter US Fed's monetary policy, plans to raise the VAT rate, as well as prices adjustment to a weaker rouble....