MOSCOW, October 20. In the next few months, the ruble may strengthen to 80 per dollar or lower, Maxim Chirkov, associate professor of the department of economic policy and economic measurements at the Institute of Economics and Finance of the State University of Management, told the Prime agency.
He recalled that according to the growth rate in recent months, the Russian economy significantly ahead of Western ones — they, on the contrary, are sagging. According to the ECB's forecast, EU economic growth this year will slow to 0.7 percent. In Russia, according to Rosstat, GDP in the second quarter grew by almost 5 percent. In addition, Western economies are suffering from accelerating inflation rates.
“Given all these nuances, the Russian ruble is greatly undervalued. It should cost much more than it does now,” the economist believes.
According to him, in the coming months and years, the exchange rate of the national currency will largely depend not on the actions of the Central Bank, but on the situation in Western economies, which may face the need to devalue their currencies. Therefore, in the medium and long term, the ruble may strengthen even more, Chirkov concludes.