Second day of a economic rout is building and is in the middle of starting ---as the rate hike did not impress the market and the RCB rally has nothing left to throw at the problem as it now requires Putin to make a decision---pull completely back on the Ukraine and compromise on Crimea or play the military card which will drive the market even lower.

"Panic selling" of Russian equities will continue today, according to analysts from a big US investment bank.

Russia may have to ask the IMF for a bailout. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/...s-that-simple/ …

Three reasons for RU economic crisis: western sanctions, dependency on oil, lack of trust in competence of regime (Kudrin).

You know it's getting out of hand when.....Moskovsky Komsomolets newspaper starts rate-hike live blog http://www.mk.ru/economics/2014/12/1...-otstavku.html …

Markets not inspired by Nabiullina's midnight rate hike - dollar rising past 63.50 now, no sign of intervention.

Rouble is tumbling again after briefly holding up, and signs of elite battle breaking out. Kudrin criticising Sechin, Rosneft criticing CB.

Russia’s Economic Problems Exacerbating Moscow’s Relations with Republics, Tatar Analyst Says http://goo.gl/7tZYQG

ruble back in negative territory now, 64.64/$ as the rate hike seems to have left the market less than impressed