More Bad News for Russia

[Brasscasing]

And in Ruble news...

Russian ruble hits all time low of 55-to-1 versus U.S. dollar

..."The Russian ruble continued its slow slide Thursday, falling to an all-time low against the U.S. dollar. It now costs 55 rubles to get one U.S. dollar.

Against the euro, the rube was threatening to break through the 70 rubles to one euro threshold for the first time ever, too. Russia's central bank tried to stem the tide in the afternoon by hiking its benchmark interest rate by another quarter of a point.

But it wasn't enough, as the ruble sell-off continued. Russian stocks were also lower, with the benchmark RTS stock index losing almost four per cent."...

This statement is particularly relevant...

..."The ruble has lost about 42 per cent of its value since January, battered by Western sanctions imposed over the conflict in eastern Ukraine and the drop in the price of oil, the backbone of the Russian economy.'...

I believe when/if the ruble hits the 50% loss of value mark against the US dollar there will be a reaction from the Russians towards the Kremlin. It's a psychological barrier Putin can't afford to cross, IMO.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/russian-ruble-hits-all-time-low-of-55-to-1-versus-u-s-dollar-1.2870009
Brass

[Chicagoguy]

I think Putin will soon take down all those lighted signs in Moscow that are constantly reminding all passerby's what is happening to the Ruble compared to the Dollar and the Euro 

Just joking - I hope.

[AC]

New Republican Congress to push Obama for more weaponry and other aid to Ukraine:


excerpt
"Two bills that would provide Ukraine with defensive but lethal weapons are likely to be taken up by the new Republican Senate majority, despite the president’s wishes.

The first of these bills, the Ukraine Security Assistance Act of 2014, would help Ukraine “neutralize the military-support advantage that separatist rebels are using to target civilian and military aircraft in in eastern Ukraine” and would authorize President Obama to “provide adequate and necessary assistance to protect Ukrainian democracy and sovereignty.”

The second, the Ukraine Freedom Support Act of 2014, calls for military and security assistance to Ukraine, designates it as a “major non-NATO ally” (MNNA), and imposes further sanctions on the Russian Federation. MNNA is a designation given by the United States government to close allies (including Australia, Egypt, Israel, Japan, and South Korea) who have strategic working relationships with U.S. armed forces but are not members of NATO. While the MNNA status does not automatically establish a mutual defense pact with the United States, it does confer a variety of military and financial advantages that otherwise are not obtainable by non-NATO countries.

Moreover, codifying U.S. sanctions against Russia into legislation would make it far more difficult to end them than is currently the case, thereby immunizing the sanctions against actions by the White House.

It is unclear whether Obama will veto either bill should they pass. The White House’s rationale that arming Kiev would provoke Moscow grows ever weaker, as Russia has stepped up its military support of the eastern breakaway republics in recent days. An Obama veto would also put him at odds with powerful congressional leaders in both parties, now emboldened by the elections to take a tougher line on an issue that appears secondary to the rest of the president’s agenda."


http://imrussia.org/en/analysis/world/2085-republican-congress-to-push-harder-russia-line

[sleepycat]

Russia has no choice but to "cancel" or change South Stream.
Don't you agree?

Forced capitulation?

[fathertime]

According to good old YAHOO NEWS    again it appears that Russia is aligning with a non-western nation...this time it is India.  There remains a market for Russian resources, despite the western sanctions. 


[size=78%]http://finance.yahoo.com/news/putin-just-took-another-sharp-203400974.html[/size]


Fathertime!   

[sleepycat]

I think Putin will soon take down all those lighted signs in Moscow that are constantly reminding all passerby's what is happening to the Ruble compared to the Dollar and the Euro 

Pass a law prohibiting the money exchange shops from displaying their LED rates signs on the street.
Require the state TV channels to churn out fake news of how the Rouble has raised back to 40 to the dollar.

Yep, there may just be a chance the regime can get the sheep population to swallow that...

[sleepycat]

  There remains a market for Russian resources, despite the western sanctions. 

Of course there is, at rock bottom prices...

[fathertime]

Of course there is, at rock bottom prices...

I would think that the price they are receiving is lower than what they were getting, but it still is money.  It appears the two nations are working on nuclear power together and a few other projects.  Perhaps Russian leadership feels that they have an abundance of natural resources and if they sell them for a lower price that is still better than not having money until these sanctions settle down sooner or later. 


Fathertime! 

[sleepycat]

until these sanctions settle down sooner or later. 

Big assumption...

[fathertime]

Big assumption...

I think the BIGGER assumption is to think the sanctions will last forever!


Fathertime! 

[sleepycat]

I think the BIGGER assumption is to think the sanctions will last forever!


Fathertime!

Credible links about sanctions getting dropped anytime soon?

[fathertime]

Credible links about sanctions getting dropped anytime soon?

Credible links about sanctions lasting forever anytime soon?


Fathertime! 

[Boethius]

India does not have the capabiltiy to develop oil in the Arctic. 
Sanctions did not affect Russia's sale of gas. 
 
 
 

[sleepycat]

lasting forever anytime soon?

That phrase is contradictory and does not make sense in the English language...

[fathertime]

That phrase is contradictory and does not make sense in the English language...

You have given up on discussing the topic, and are now just playing word games...haha 


Fathertime!

[AC]

You have given up on discussing the topic, and are now just playing word games...haha 


Fathertime!

Or poster Muzh is correct, you are a Russian pretending to be an American.

[fathertime]

Or poster Muzh is correct, you are a Russian pretending to be an American.

yes yes, the old 'i'm actually a Russian' defense....always handy when a person has given up on discussing the issue.


Fathertime!

[AC]

Credible links about sanctions lasting forever anytime soon?


Fathertime!

I could post a link that the sanctions not only will not end soon, but they will likely get worse.

[fathertime]

I could post a link that the sanctions not only will not end soon, but they will likely get worse.

Who's stopping you?  Go ahead and post the link.  My earlier point is they will eventually end, that doesn't mean it has to be soon...as I said sooner or later.   


Fathertime!

[Doll]

Forced capitulation?

no

[sleepycat]

Do most of the money exchange shops in Russia have LED rates display signs or are they still using manual signs?

With the Rouble collapsing this rapidly, surely it is not fun having to run outside every 15 minutes in the middle of winter to adjust the rates signs!

[lordtiberius]

The league of nations expelled Russia.  Before this is all over, history will repeat itself. 

[AkMike]

Quote of the week

 or should it be the "Quote of the weak"? 

"A sizable weakening of the ruble isn't advantageous for the economy in the long term," Medvedev said in an interview with Russian television. While currency depreciation benefits the budget, it's detrimental in a "strategic sense," he said.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/medvedev-enlists-russian-companies-bid-165638063.html

 As the ruble dropped to 55.8 to the dollar a 1.5% in one day.
 

[Doll]

I could post a link that the sanctions not only will not end soon, but they will likely get worse.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/12/11/us-ukraine-crisis-obama-idUSKBN0JP20L20141211

[Doll]

Do most of the money exchange shops in Russia have LED rates display signs or are they still using manual signs?

With the Rouble collapsing this rapidly, surely it is not fun having to run outside every 15 minutes in the middle of winter to adjust the rates signs!

The signs are electronic but what does it matter?