At "Russia Is Calling! Yekaterinburg," companies named factors for market growth.

      October 8, 2025, 12:23 Economy

      In the new investment cycle, companies will focus on increasing labor productivity, using artificial intelligence technologies, robotization, as well as opportunities in the stock market. Participants of the VTB forum "RUSSIA IS CALLING! Yekaterinburg" said this, and agreed: investments will flow more actively into manufacturing as the Bank of Russia’s monetary policy eases.

      "This year we have seen capacity utilization rise to 85% against a norm of 70%, we have record low unemployment — 2.2%, and in August it fell to 2.1%. This is partly due to seasonal factors, but nevertheless these are the lowest values in a long time. Our real wage growth is already above 5%, so we do not see a strong cooling yet and expect caution in monetary policy moves," said Dmitry Sredin, head of the department for client relations in market sectors.

      According to him, retail investors should consider that the drivers of the economy are investments in transport infrastructure, technological development and production robotization.

      In the real estate market issuers are more conservative, as high interest rates in the economy and a shortage of labor have significantly cooled the market.

      "The situation with rates also affects companies' decisions to go public," says Dmitry Sredin.

      "Companies planning IPOs do not believe that current valuations and multiples of their companies match their expectations. At both the St. Petersburg and the Eastern Economic Forum I spoke with issuers: they are expecting the key rate to be in the range of 10–15%. Therefore, for now the main focus of companies is on the debt market, placement of bonds and digital financial assets, which are in growing demand," concluded Dmitry Sredin.

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