Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday (Feb 12) said that special attention needed to be paid to containing price rises while pointing out that inflation was trending lower. The central bank is widely expected to keep interest rates on hold at 16 per cent 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 ... (full story)