MOSCOW, March 10. Aggregate demand for foreign currency in cash in January 2016 fell by 33% compared with December 2015 and amounted to $5.2 billion, according to a review of the main indicators characterizing the state of the domestic market of cash foreign currency published on the website of the CBR.
The volume of demand for the period was lower than in January 2014 and 2015, 45 and 19%, respectively.
According to the Bank of Russia the demand for USD in January 2016, compared with the previous month decreased by 32%, on the Euro – by 36%, reaching $3.9 and $1.2 bn respectively.
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The share of dollars in the structure of aggregate demand increased by 1 percentage point and amounted to 75%, the share of European currency fell from 25% to 24%.
The number of operations on purchase by physical persons of cash foreign currency, compared with December 2015 declined by 40% and amounted to 1 million transactions.
The average size of the deal to buy remained almost unchanged and amounted to $1706.
In addition, the review of the regulator it is reported that in January 2016 authorised banks have imported 24% less foreign currency than the previous month.
Import of US dollars declined by 23%, European currencies 28%.
The volume of cash foreign currency exported from the country by authorized banks, in January 2016, compared with December 2015 decreased by 26% and amounted to about $0.5 billion.
