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Russia's gross domestic product and industrial production grew significantly in the first half of this year, the Economic Development and Trade Ministry said Thursday.
The ministry said in a report that GDP had grown 6.5% in the reporting period and 6.9% in June.
GDP growth was 7.1% in the second quarter of 2006, against 5.5% in the first quarter.
Consumer prices increased 6.2% in January-June, while industrial production gained 4.4% during the period and 2.9% in June.
The industrial production index in the second quarter was 106%.
Fixed capital investment from all financing sources grew by an estimated 9.4% year-on-year in the first half of 2006 to 1,563 billion rubles (about $57.8 billion).
The ministry said inflation had been 9% in June
2006 on June 2005, reaching the upper limit of the target level for 2006 (8-9%). It added that a high budget surplus had ensured sterilization of the most of the monetary supply, but the budget surplus did not guarantee no inflation.
The ruble gained 9.8% against dollar in January-June 2006, but the appreciation slowed down, as it strengthened in June by 0.4%, down from 1.9% in May.
Russia's foreign trade surplus totaled an estimated $75.1 billion in January-June 2006 compared with $54.7 billion in the same period of 2005, representing a year-on-year increase of 37%.
Russia's trade in June 2006 totaled $39.3 billion, and $213.9 billion in January-June.
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