In the world of central banking slow, steady and predictable decisions are the aim. So when bankers meet in the dead of night and raise interest rates by a massive 6.5 percentage points it suggests something is going very wrong. It is: the Russian currency crisis many feared is now a reality (see chart) and the mood in Moscow close to panic. Russians are right to worry: they are heading for a lethal combination of deep recession and runaway inflation. Many of Russia’s woes start abroad. The country is highly dependent on its oil-and-gas firms. Hydrocarbons contribute over half …read more
Source: Business Insider