Russia Ups 2006 GDP Growth Forecast To 6.0%

Russia's economic development ministry forecast on Feb. 9 that gross domestic product would grow 6% this year, not 5.8% as earlier predicted, after recalculating the amount the country would earn from oil sales.

Interfax news agency quoted macroeconomic forecasts official Andrei Klepatch as saying the ministry now predicted Russia's benchmark Ural crude oil would average $51 a barrel this year, five dollars more than it had earlier projected.