With an economy tied strongly to the oil and gas export market, pollsters in Russia said there’s mounting concern about inflation and external shocks. Russia’s economy relies heavily on oil and natural gas exports and recent sector weakness, as well as Western sanctions, added to the strains of recession. The International Monetary Fund last week said emerging stability for oil prices meant the Russian economy had returned to growth, and gross domestic product was expected to expand by 1.4 percent next year. “With adverse demographics, and barring significant structural reforms that lifts productivity, potential growth is likely to stay at around 1.5 percent over the medium term,” the IMF’s report read. “The main risk to the outlook remains a fall […]