Category: Analysis

An analysis of the 42.4% drop in restaurant alcohol sales in Russia during the first half of the year. How steep markups are changing consumer behavior and forcing restaurants to rethink their business model.

An analysis of key maritime chokepoints in the global oil trade in 2026. How the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the blockade of Bab el-Mandeb, and Panama Canal disruptions are affecting prices and logistics. Data on volumes, insurance premiums, and alternative routes.

China is reshaping its energy landscape: coal-fired generation has dropped below 50% as renewables grow at record pace. An analysis of the energy transition in the world's largest economy.

We examine the reasons behind the growing number of rejections for ninth graders seeking to enter 10th grade: specialized track education, government policy promoting vocational schools, and students' rights to continue their education.

Fraudulent call centers in Ukraine generate up to $1 billion per month for their operators. This estimate from a Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime report reveals an entire international industry with offices in business centers, above-market salaries, and customer retention departments.

How Russian attitudes toward prenuptial agreements have changed: statistics on their execution, reasons for growing popularity, business and asset protection, typical terms, and legal precedents for contesting them.

An analysis of Russia's fuel market situation: the extension of the export ban, gasoline and diesel price dynamics, stabilization measures, and forecasts for emerging from the crisis.

The EU's 21st sanctions package has restricted the operations of the Zolotaya Korona system, affecting millions of users. An analysis of the impact on transfers to Central Asian countries, alternative channels, and market outlook.

Following attacks on tankers, the CPC has halted oil loading. An expert weighs in on the consequences for Kazakhstan and the global oil market.

How Russia's new family tax credit works: eligibility requirements, the amount of personal income tax refunds for parents with two children, income and property criteria, and early results from the program.

On July 20, the Finance Ministry announced it was suspending OFZ bond auctions "to help stabilize the market situation." Behind this dry formulation lies a rare occurrence: a government that needs to borrow more than 5 trillion rubles from the market in a year has voluntarily withdrawn from that very market. We examine why the government debt market has shut down and what this means for the budget, the ruble, and the population.