MELBOURNE, November 17 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's finance minister said Friday inflation in the country could be less than 9% in 2006.
"We hope that inflation this year will be lower than 9%. We have this chance now," Alexei Kudrin said.
As of November 14, 2006, accumulated inflation in Russia was 7.8%. In 2005, inflation stood at 10.9%, according to the economics ministry.
The Russian government earlier adjusted its 2006 inflation target from 8.5% to 9%. A forecast for the country's social and economic development until 2009, prepared by the Economic Development and Trade Ministry, projects inflation at 6.5%-8% in 2007, 4.5-6% in 2008, and 4-5.5% in 2009.
