In the opinion of the majority of Japanese diplomats and businessmen, who work in Moscow, it is the “Japanese boom” in Russia now. One can agree or not, but it is obvious that the mutual interest to collaboration has increased. The conversion of the Russian economy into the innovative model of development requires expansion of business collaboration in the different spheres of economy, attracting new technologies and long-term investments, making the Russian market competitive for the foreign investors.

Russia overtakes China in the Goldman Sachs rating of growing economies for the first time. But the recipe for success has become not so much the Russian achievements, as indices decrease of the competitor. Goldman Sachs (GS) publishes the global index of growth conditions of Growth Environment Score since 2005, calculates it since 1997. The index is calculated on the basis of five groups of indices: macroeconomic stability, investment climate, human capital, political conditions, availability of modern technologies. Economic indicators are based on information of official statistics, political - on the estimations of World Bank, explains Raluka Dragushanu from GS.

By 2020 GDP would grow several times in Russia, and the country would be among the leading five on this index, promised Andrey Klepach, the director of macroeconomic prognostication general department of MEDT (Ministry of Economic Development and Trade Russia). By instructions of the president Putin and under the supervision of Klepach was developed the concept of long-term socio-economic development of Russia by 2020. The main emphasis is on innovative technologies that should, according to Klepach, fully modernize the macroeconomics of Russian Federation, without destroying its basic established principles.

First of all the overheat risk is connected with the fact that an increase of consumer incomes and charges noticeably overtakes the growth rates of economy. In spite of the problems in the financial markets, the investment boom in Russia continues, so testifies the regular report of the Federal State Statistics Service (FSSS). After some delay of investment activity in August - September, 2007, the October data show the investments growth into the fixed capital up to 19,6 %. By the end of October, 2007 the number of economically active population is already 75,3 million people that is more than in 1992. This resource of economy growth is probably close to exhaustion.

There are four basic problems in the economy of Russia, impeding its development. They are corruption, inflation, pension plan deficit and infrastructural limitations of economy growth. To such conclusion came the authors of the program of social and economic development of Russia for 2008-2010 called “Second breath”. It is represented by Igor Nikolaev, the head of the authors’ group, the director of strategic analysis department of audit and consulting company FBK, and Evgeny Yasin, the research manager of State University of Higher School of Economics (HSE).

Public corporation “Rostecnology” will work on the basis of self-financing, reported the press-service of “Rosoboronexport” yesterday. As it is said in the report, it will function “on the principle of breakeven activity”. The new public corporation is created on the basis of state enterprise “Rosoboronexport” and will not demand investment of budgetary means. Purpose of its creation is assistance in development, production and export of high-technology industrial products, support of the Russian producer on internal and external markets and investments’ attraction to the industry.

Growth rates of individual persons’ lending in Russia totaled 60% in 2007, reports the press-service of the Association of Russian Banks (ARB). At the Fourth Open International Bank Conference “Money transfers. Retail bank services” held in Yerevan, experts marked that possibilities of widening of this kind of bank services are not exhausted. The consumer lending is like a locomotive, “draws out” other retail structures.

Some large foreign corporations like Wal-Mart and Carrefour ponder until now, whether it is worth to enter the Russian market. Experts are inexorable: the further, the harder it would be to carve the way to Russia for those who hesitate. But businessmen from abroad have been coming to Russia from the very beginning of the reforms. Someone has begun business in the astonishing and strange country, possessing already some capital, and someone has boarded a plane to Moscow, grabbing only the veneer suitcase. Someone has come back, but many have stayed and are not going to return. “Who is living good in Russia?” is a question which will never get a general answer. How do foreign businessmen live and work in Russia today?

The State Duma accepted the act about creation of state corporation “Rostecnology” during the second and third reading. The corporation will be formed on “Rosoboronexport” basis, the sole supplier of the Russian weapon abroad.
According to the Act, supervisory board of public corporation will contain nine members, where four members will represent the president and other four – the government. Another member of supervisory board will be a general director of public corporation.

The transformation of Ural was announced (process, but not the inter-regional political movement with the same name which played the considerable role in the country political life in the 90s of the last century, is meant).
The voluminous narration about the Middle Urals is begun by “the story about time and about oneself of one of the political long-livers of Russia — the governor of Sverdlovsk region Edward Rossel”.