MOSCOW, October 26 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's external trade in the first nine months of 2006 reached $337.8 billion, up 28.9% year-on-year, and the trade surplus totaled $112.4 billion, the Russian Economics Development and Trade Ministry said Thursday.
The ministry said Russia's goods exports totaled $225.1 billion in January-September, while imports amounted to $112.7 billion, representing year-on-year increases of 28.9% and 28.8% respectively.
The ministry also said that the country's inflation increase in January-September was 7.2%, which was 1.4 points lower than the same period last year. The ministry predicted October inflation at 0.3-0.5%.
