Russian central bank makes surprise rate cut to 15%

Russia's central bank cut its main interest rate on Friday in a surprise move aimed at kickstarting the economy which is expected to contract sharply under the weight of Western sanctions and plunging oil prices. The announcement to slash its key interest rate to 15 percent from 17 percent marked the first cut since December 2011. The rate cut had come after the government urged the central bank to help boost the economy, prompting some analysts to accuse the bank of caving in to political