Troika Dialog, one of the leading investment companies in Russia and the CIS region, today announces the upcoming appointments of Igor Krol, Maxim Glushkov and Alexei Litvintsev in its Investment Banking division. All three senior hires will start their new roles in early April 2012. Each of the appointments brings invaluable experience from the leading global financial institutions and considerable sector expertise as Troika Dialog continues on a concerted drive to strengthen and expand its investment banking capabilities within Sberbank.

> Russia placed $7.0 bln in three new Sovereign Eurobond issues yesterday with maturity in 2017, 2022 and 2042. Demand exceeded $25.0 bln, meaning that the placement was more than three and a half times oversubscribed.

In the latest fiascoes that leading U.S. mainstream media (MSM) call journalism, news reporters continue to distort or ignore the continually-changing Russian reality. Meanwhile, a new reform era continues into its fifth year.  I alerted leaders on ROPV to the coming thaw in April 2008, covered the thaw’s predicted gradual progress from summer 2008, and traced its evolution into a perestroika 2.0, and the attendant glasnost 2.0 culminating its first phase in December 2011. 

World Bank Launches its 27th Russian Economic Report

Russia’s latest economic performance has been robust, in spite of the fact that output growth is slowing this year in line with weaker growth in Europe and in a number of emerging economies, says the World Bank’s Russian Economic Report №27 launched this week in Moscow. The report analyzes the country’s recent economic developments and prospects. Special focus is on the invitation to Russia to accede to the WTO by the summer of 2012 - a unique and important opportunity for the country’s economic development.

Global Ports yesterday published 2011 IFRS results and provided an operating update. Consolidated revenues rose 31% y-o-y to $501.3 mln, while strict cost control and operating leverage resulted in total costs rising at a lower rate than revenues - up just 21% to $277.4 mln. As a result, adjusted EBITDA increased 37% to $282 mln, while profitability improved 2 pp to 56%. We update our model, plugging in actual price levels achieved in 2H11 and new forecasts for the container market. This results in a 5% reduction in our target price to $20.58 per GDR, but we retain our BUY recommendation on the stock.

The Federal State Statistics Service reported annual 2011 inflation (using the Consumer Price Index (CPI)) as 6.1%—the lowest Russia’s inflation has been in the last 20 years. The Russian government and the Central Bank have been struggling for years to achieve low-digit inflation in order to create a more favorable investment climate and lure foreign investment. Government officials name the low inflation as Russia’s major economic achievement for 2011. Independent analysts attribute the slowdown in inflation to the situation in the food market.

61% of top and middle level managers are happy with the size of their bonus for 2011. These are the results obtained during a survey held by Antal Russia amongst 3,200 managers of Russian and international companies. More than half (54%) of the respondents has received the bonus for 2011. At the same time about a third of managers didn’t received any annual bonus and 18% have mentioned that their contract doesn’t actually include a bonus scheme.

Just in from William Dunkerley, author of The Phony Litvinenko Murder. “Did you hear the latest? The text of Alexander Litvinenko's deathbed statement has been revised. First the story changed on who wrote it. Now, it's the text itself. I just posted a new video on the subject.

Here's the link: http://www.OmnicomPress.com/plmv3.

According to the press office of Camden Council no date has been set for the resumption of the inquest into Litvinenko’s death.

February 2012 was marked by the high activity in the elite residential rental market in Moscow accor4ding to leading estate agent IntermarkSavill’s. “After a traditionally calm January followed by long holidays the volume of demand increased by almost one third in February compared to the previous month’s performance. It was proved by our January forecast,” a report from the agency says.

Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc. has signed an agreement to acquire Natur Produkt International, JSC, a specialty pharmaceutical company in Russia.  Natur Produkt has a significant presence in the over-the-counter (OTC) segment in several categories marketed under the umbrella brand, Natur Produkt.  Key brands include AntiGrippin, a leading cough and cold remedy, Anti Angin, Sage and Eucaplyptus MA brand names, leading sore throat remedies.