In its Talking Trends bulletin, the Central Bank of Russia assessed that supply constraints kept seasonally adjusted price increases elevated in July and likely August, although most measures of underlying inflation remained within a 4% to 5% range. It said carefully calibrated monetary policy decisions are needed to return inflation to the 4% target in 2027. Second-quarter gross domestic product growth exceeded expectations, while a temporary reduction in production capacity is constraining output of goods and services in the third quarter. The gap between wage growth and productivity narrowed, supporting a smoother and more sustainable increase in demand, while uncertainty over external economic conditions remains high.