The Central Bank of Russia published a new issue of its Monitoring of Sectoral Financial Flows review, reporting a contraction in incoming payments processed through the Bank of Russia in early 2026. Receipts fell by 5.0% overall in 2026 Q1, with an 8.1% decline in March compared with the 2025 Q4 average. The downturn in payments continued to be largely driven by export-oriented industries. The Bank noted that the March rise in global prices for major export commodities is expected to feed through to payment dynamics with a lag during the second quarter, while growth in receipts was observed only in investment-demand sectors.
Central Bank of Russia 2026-04-09
Central Bank of Russia reports 5.0% drop in incoming payments in 2026 Q1 with export sectors driving the decline
The Central Bank of Russia reported a 5.0% decline in incoming payments in 2026 Q1, with March receipts down 8.1% versus the 2025 Q4 average, according to its latest Monitoring of Sectoral Financial Flows review. The contraction was mainly driven by export-oriented industries, while receipts grew only in investment-demand sectors, and the Bank expects higher global export commodity prices in March to support payment dynamics with a lag in the second quarter.