bne
Fri, 27th Jan -- Deputy Prime Minister Sergiy Tigipko confirmed on January 26 that Ukraine will resume negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on restarting the country's $15.5bn standby loan programme in a fortnight or so. The statement follows a visit by a Ukrainian delegation headed by new Finance Minister Valeriy Khoroshkovsky to Washington DC to meet with IMF officials earlier this week.

bne
Fri, 27th Jan -- Major Russian gold miners Polyus Gold and LSE-listed Polymetal are reported to be in talks over resurrecting a possible merger. However, based on the former's questionable track record on M&A announcements, analysts speculate the news may simply be a leak intended to drive up Polyus' share price ahead of a new equity offer.

bne
Thu, 2nd Feb -- bne's second annual investment bank survey for CEE shows that investment banks in the region managed to hold their own against the deteriorating conditions. However, it's an open question whether 2012 promises to be a further step back towards the nadir hit in 2009 or the base from which a recovery in business can be built.

bne
Thu, 26th Jan -- The Russian government is considering a hands-on approach to modernisation in the metals sector, which would see companies forced to agree fixed investment programmes that would leave no room for manoeuvre.

bne
Wed, 25th Jan -- Veteran liberal politician Grigory Yavlinsky € touted as the likely beneficiary of votes from the recent protest movement in Russia - has been ejected from the presidential race due to a high percentage of invalid signatures on his application documents, the Central Elections Commission (CEC) said on January 24.

bne
Wed, 25th Jan -- Another manager implicated in corruption at a Russian state-owned company has been sacked, and this time its Rosneft in the spotlight. The news casts some doubt on the standing of Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin and Gennady Timchenko, but the real test for the anti-corruption drive remains how far up the ladder it reaches.

bne
Wed, 25th Jan -- Both the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and International Monetary Fund warned January 24 that the sovereign debt crisis in the Eurozone will take its toll on economic growth in Emerging Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States this year.

bne
Tue, 24th Jan -- The clampdown on corruption in the state sector is reportedly set to continue, with looming changes to Russian legislation to force all offshore companies € especially those affiliated with state company management - to reveal their ultimate beneficiaries. However, in typical fashion, it's unclear just which "offshore" territories will be affected.

bne
Tue, 24th Jan -- Lithuania has taken a step towards lessening its total dependence on Russian energy, and stolen a march on its fellow Baltics, with an agreement to lease an offshore LNG platform that will receive imports from the US.

David O'Byrne and Nicholas Watson
Thu, 26th Jan -- The Russians, Turks and economic reality are killing the EU's gas pipe dream.

John Casey of HSBC
Thu, 26th Jan -- While the economic picture remains gloomy in Europe, international trade is a key driver of Europe's success story in the future.

bne
Mon, 23rd Jan -- In a bid to avoid adding grist to the mill of the recent protest movement, the Kremlin has told governors to ensure the Russian presidential elections are fair, as the authorities' election goal changes from maximising the pro-government vote to minimizing scandals.