Interview with Maxim Shkadov by Vladimir Kulakov and John Helmer The 36-year old Kristall Production Corporation is one of the world’s leading producers of polished diamonds, and Russia’s biggest. It remains 100% state owned under the supervision of the federal Ministry of Finance, and is headquartered at Smolensk, where it cuts and polishes diamonds, before […]

by John Helmer - Tuesday, November 24th, 2009
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By John Helmer in Moscow Sad to say, there is no magic in capitalism. If there were, it would have been entertaining to watch how Polyus Gold, Russia’s leading goldminer, suddenly snapped a losing streak on Friday, and rocketed upward with a 4% share price gain in Moscow (MICEX rouble exchange), 7% on the London […]

by John Helmer - Monday, November 23rd, 2009
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November 21, 1695 — Henry Purcell, English composer, died, aged 35   See’st thou not how stiff, and wondrous old Far unfit to bear the bitter cold, I can scarcely move or draw my breath, Let me, let me, freeze again to death. — Song of Cold Genius, King Arthur

by John Helmer - Saturday, November 21st, 2009
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By John Helmer in Moscow Suleiman Kerimov is selling Polyus Gold shares in a bid to raise cash. The market signal triggered a price decline for the Moscow and London-listed share (PGML:LN) of 5% this week through Thursday. A Moscow brokerage is predicting that the selloff may cut the price by 10%. The chain of […]

by John Helmer - Friday, November 20th, 2009
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By John Helmer in Moscow   Confucius say – why buy a treasure from a man, if you can wait for him to lose it. The turmoil now affecting Oleg Deripaska’s United Company Rusal has become a critical test of the difference between the Russian and Chinese approach to resource concessions and national company value. […]

by John Helmer - Friday, November 20th, 2009
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By John Helmer in Moscow Land-based delivery of Gazprom’s natural gas is more than holding its own in the European gas market against competing seaborne deliveries of liquefied natural gas (LNG), according to a report from Gazprom in Moscow yesterday. This says that Gazprom’s exports to the European Union (EU) increased by 19.4% in the […]

by John Helmer - Wednesday, November 18th, 2009
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By John Helmer in Moscow   This report is powered by kryptonite! Be an Interactive Investigator! Call in if you have news on Superboy’s latest deal! Add your leads to the record of his business acumen!

by John Helmer - Tuesday, November 17th, 2009
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We interrupt this news bulletin to bring you a broadcast from Captain Obvious on location live above the Kremlin

by John Helmer - Monday, November 16th, 2009
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Put a little Hong Kong whitewash on your Rusal brush, and look at the difference it makes to your teeth…   Before After By John Helmer in Moscow A left turn and quick walk out of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEx) building on the waterfront in Central Hong Kong will take you to the […]

by John Helmer - Sunday, November 15th, 2009
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We interrupt this news bulletin to bring you a broadcast from Captain Obvious on location live above the Kremlin

by John Helmer - Thursday, November 12th, 2009
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