Iran may begin mothballing its oil wells - Bessent
Iran may have to begin mothballing its oil wells next week as its storage facilities are rapidly filling up, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said.
finances
Ruble weakens after Finance Ministry announces foreign exchange transactions
News of the resumption of foreign exchange transactions under Russia's budget rule in May has put pressure on the national currency. The ruble has begun to weaken.
Russia-Azerbaijan mutual investments exceed 300 million in 2025
Azerbaijan has increased its investment activity in the Russian economy in 2025 to $52.8 million, while Russia invested $267.8 million in Azerbaijan.
Russian national debt up by 21 in year
Russia’s national debt spiked by 21% to 35.1 trillion rubles by the end of 2025 compared to 2024, an Audit Chamber report on the execution of the federal budget for January - December 2025 said.
Russia to earn up to 2bln dollars from easing oil sanctions - US Treasury
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the maximum extra amount of oil revenue Russia could get would be $2 billion.
Israel to spend tens of billions of shekels on Iran war
Israel is set to expand its defense budget by tens of billions of shekels to fund the war with Iran, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.
US issues new Iran-related sanctions
The U.S. Treasury Department announced a new round of sanctions targeting Iran’s individuals, entities, vessels and weapons procurement networks.
Russia awaits response on proposal to fund Board of Peace - Peskov
According to Dmitry Peskov, the Russian authorities have not yet received a response to the proposal to allocate $1 billion from frozen Russian assets for the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip.
U.S. adds eight companies to Iran sanctions lists
The U.S. Treasury has added eight individuals and nine oil tankers associated with them to Iran sanctions lists, according to information on the website of the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), a department of the U.S. Treasury.
Georgia refers to Baku-Tbilisi-Kars and Anaklia port as priorities
Georgia's goal is to make 2026 better than 2025, with high economic growth ensured alongside other achievements, Georgia's Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development Mariam Kvrivishvili said, outlining forecasts for the coming year.
Uzbekistan invests in railway construction to China
A loan agreement was signed in Bishkek to finance the construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railroad, the Kyrgyz government's press service said.
U.S. Treasury prevents bank from purchasing LUKOIL assets
The U.S. Treasury has rejected an offer from the U.S. investment bank Xtellus Partners to buy foreign assets of Russian oil major Lukoil, Reuters reported, citing sources.
Armenia to receive over $170 million from IMF
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has approved credit support of over $175 million for Armenia, with disbursements scheduled over a three-year period.
U.S. offers returning Russia's assets frozen by West - report
The U.S. administration has opposed the European Union’s initiative to use frozen Russian assets to fund Ukraine via a reparations loan, Politico reported, citing senior European diplomats.
Baku and Beijing deepen financial cooperation
Azerbaijan and China have held discussions on expanding cooperation in the financial sector, Governor of the Central Bank of Azerbaijan Taleh Kazimov said.
Armenia's GDP grows by 6%
According to the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB), Armenia's GDP increased by 6% this year, driven primarily by growth in the financial, IT, and construction sectors.
Russia's international reserves grow by $14 billion in a week
The Central Bank of Russia has reported substantial expansion in national foreign currency reserves, with total international reserves now reaching $734 billion.
Azerbaijan's Great Return program budget to reach $13 bln by end of 2025
Azerbaijani Finance Minister Sahil Babayev said that nearly $13 billion will be earmarked for the reconstruction of the territories reclaimed from occupation as part of the Great Return program by the end of 2025.
Baku hosts IX International Banking Forum
The IX International Banking Forum is being held in Baku today. The event runs under the motto “Reliable, Secure, and Sustainable Banking.”
Belgium partially unfreezing Russians’ assets - report
Belgian depository Euroclear has begun unfreezing Russian investors’ assets without obtaining a license from the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), RBC news agency reported quoting a large broker that deals with the unfreezing of such assets.
