Negative outlook remains for recession-hit Russia: S&P

The outlook for Russia's recession-hit economy remains weak, as it struggles with international sanctions and weak oil prices, ratings agency Standard & Poor's said Friday. S&P said it expected the Russian economy to expand by about 0.4 percent annually between 2015 and 2018, well down on the average 2.4 percent seen in the previous four years. S&P kept its "BB+/B' long- and short-term foreign currency rating for Russia.