Balance of Payments in Q2 2021
Alexandra V. Bozhechkova – Head of Monetary Policy Department of the Gaidar Institute for Economic Policy; Senior Researcher of the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, Candidate of Economic Sciences (Moscow, Russia). Е-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Alexander Yu. Knobel – Head of Foreign Trade Department of the Gaidar Institute for Economic Policy; Director of Center for Foreign Trade Department of the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration; Director of the Institute for International Economics and Finance, Russian Foreign Trade Academy, Candidate of Economic Sciences (Moscow, Russia). Е-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Pavel V. Trunin – Head of Center for Macroeconomics and Finance of the Gaidar Institute for Economic Policy; Director of Center for Сentral Banks Studies of the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, Doctor of Economic Sciences (Moscow, Russia). Е-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
In Q2 2021, the current account balance amounted to $19.9 bn, vs $1.6 bn in Q2 of last year. Russia’s trade balance demonstrated a significant increase relative to Q2 2020. Net capital outflow from the private sector declined on the same period of last year, while the global economy was recovering, and the Bank of Russia was tightening its monetary policy. The regulator continued its foreign currency purchases within the framework of the fiscal rule, which produced an increase in reserve assets by $8.3 bn in Q2 2021. International reserves increased to $591.7 bn. According to the period-end results of Q2 2021, the ruble exchange rate against the US dollar gained 4.4%, rising to Rb72.4.
Key words: balance of payments, export, import, current account transaction, ruble exchange rate, outflow/inflow of capital, Bank of Russia.
JEL-codes: E58, E44, F32, F21, F31.
