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The
central bank is widely expected to keep interest rates on hold
at 16% at its rate-setting meeting on Feb. 16, after hiking
rates by 850 basis points since July in the face of stubborn
inflation pressure from labour shortages, rouble weakness and
high budget spending.
"Of course, special attention should be paid to inflation, its
containment," Putin said in a televised meeting at which Central
Bank Governor Elvira Nabiullina also appeared following a
weeks-long, unexplained public absence.
Putin noted the central bank and government's actions when
pointing out that inflation was now trending lower. He said
annual inflation in January was 7.2%, down from 7.4% at the end
of 2023.
Russia's economy rebounded sharply from a slump in 2022, annual
data showed on Wednesday, but the growth relies heavily on
state-funded arms and ammunition production and masks problems
that are hampering an improvement in Russians' living standards.
(Reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin; Writing by Alexander Marrow;
Editing by Gareth Jones and Hugh Lawson)
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