經濟嚴冬來臨時，俄羅斯人理財投資買啥？

Isolated Russians scramble for hard currency, fear worse is yet to come

Reuters

 

'I DON'T LIKE IT'

Russia has closed its airspace to airlines from the European Union and a string of other countries in response to sanctions, driving up ticket prices and severely limiting the population's ability to travel.

Russians will also not be able to watch their national soccer team try to qualify for this year's World Cup or world-renowned figure skaters, many of whom stepped on the podium at the Beijing Games last month, compete at international events.

With purchasing power steadily dwindling and few opportunities to leave, many Russians have opted to spend their roubles on electronic devices such as smartphones and laptops before they become scarce, or simply unaffordable.

Check Index, which analyses consumer trends in Russia based on transaction receipts, said that spending on electronics and appliances - often foreign-made - had jumped 80% from Feb. 21-27 in comparison with the previous week.

Electronics retailer M.Video-Eldorado confirmed it had seen heightened demand for its products, which it attributed in part to the rouble's volatility.

Clients at three of Russia's 10 largest banks - VTB, private lender Sovcombank and central-bank-owned Otkritie - can no longer pay with ApplePay and GooglePay services.

That has created problems for metro users in Moscow, forcing commuters to buy one of the transport system's Troika cards, use a plastic card or sign up to the city's facial recognition Face Pay system instead.

"Everything is obviously bad," said Anna, another Muscovite. "Everyone is going to be sad. Prices are going up. I don't like it."