GLOBAL ECONOMIC DOWNTURN HITS ST. PETERSBURG

UNCLAS ST PETERSBURG 000002 EEB/IFP/OMA;EEB/EPPD E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: RS ECON SUBJECT: GLOBAL ECONOMIC DOWNTURN HITS ST. PETERSBURG ¶1. (SBU) Summary. The ongoing economic downturn is increasingly being felt in St Petersburg and threatens to jeopardize many of the achievements of St. Petersburg's economic development over the last several years. The city government has been forced to recalculate its budget, several ambitious infrastructure projects have been downsized or postponed, various industrial companies have suspended their production, and staff cuts are beginning to be discussed more and more frequently. Although some local analysts predict the crisis may stimulate healthier economic growth in the long run, the current negative trends can be expected to continue well into 2009. -------------- Public Mood Has Drastically Changed Since the Summer -------------- ¶2. (SBU) The consequences of the global financial crisis have become increasingly apparent in St. Petersburg recently, as a quick glance at the headlines in any local newspaper reveals. In August and September of this year, analysts and journalists were still very upbeat - discussing ongoing infrastructure development, new investment projects, outlooks for growth and the challenges of a very tight labor situation. Today, however, the most popular words in the printed media are "reduction", "contraction", "suspension" and "staff separation." -------------- Government's Infrastructure Spending Plans Affected -------------- ¶3. (SBU) The lack of investment capital and increased interest rates has hit various multi-billion dollar development projects, which the city administration had hoped to accomplish through public/private partnerships with major Russian and foreign investors. Foreseeing a significant decline in revenue, the city administration has reviewed several programs, and cut the overall city budget planned expenditures for 2009 by 10 percent. According to public statements of St. Petersburg government officials, several high-profile projects are likely to be postponed, such as the as "Elevated Express" (construction of an elevated tram line which would connect the southern outskirts of the city with the main public transportation network, estimated cost US$1.4 billion),the "Orlovskiy Tunnel" (a toll tunnel for cars under the Neva river, $1.1 billion),the Western High Speed Diameter road (a toll highway connecting the southern and the northern parts of the city, $9.0 billion) and reconstruction of Pulkovo airport ($1.0 billion). Independent market observers have been speculating in the press that this list is not exhaustive, arguing that many of the government's other initiatives, such as "Morskoy Fasad" (construction of a sea passenger terminal and an accompanying commercial/residential complex, $1.4 billion) and various other real estate development projects also seem to be in jeopardy. ¶4. (SBU) The city has already decided to cancel its participation in the Okhta Center, one of the highest profile and most controversial real estate projects in the city, which entails the construction of a 1300 foot tall office building jointly financed by Gazprom. The city government has officially ended its participation in the project, to which it had previously pledged around $330 million over next three years. Gazprom's leadership, regardless, still claims it will continue on with the project without government assistance if necessary. ¶5. (SBU) Another high-profile consequence of the downturn has been the suspension of the South-West Heat Power Plant (HPP) in St. Petersburg. This $500 million project was considered by City Hall to be a key part to its overall city development plan. However, Sintez Group, the project's main private investor, has recently experienced serious difficulties in construction financing and has suspended the project. This suspension has ramifications for another of the city's strategic projects - Baltic Pearl. This $3.0 billion construction project, financed by Chinese investors, was one of the first large foreign investments which Governor Valentina Matviyenko's administration secured for the city. The project plans to create a large commercial complex and accompanying residential districts which would house thirty thousand residents in the southern outskirts of the city. Local economic observers fear that the delay in the construction of the South-West HPP, along with the suspension of "Elevated Express" which would connect Baltic Pearl with downtown, threatens the completion of Baltic Pearl as well. ¶6. (SBU) The overall development plan for the city's overtaxed electrical grid network is also being downsized. The plan was initiated by both the city administration and the Russian electrical power monopoly RAO UES in 2006 and called for a total investment of about $11 billion into St. Petersburg's energy complex. However, according to recent announced revisions, OAO Lenenergo, the local distribution network operator, will only invest $1.6 billion into the modernization of its facilities, instead of the $2.8 billion as originally planned. Similarly, TGK-1, the local electricity generating company, intends to postpone the commissioning of various new power generating facilities for up to four years. -------------- Manufacturers Also Being Hit -------------- ¶7. (SBU) Private businesses are being affected by the global downturn as well as government promoted infrastructure projects. One of the most prominently affected industries has been the automotive industry. In response to a sharp decline in demand, the Ford Motor plant in Vsevolozhsk, Leningrad oblast, has announced plans to halt production for about one month, resuming production in late January, 2009. Similarly, the new GM plant which opened in St. Petersburg in early November announced that it would not reach its design production capacity in the near future. The plant will not operate through mid-February 2009, after which production will commence only three days per week for an unspecified period of time. Also, both Hyundai and Suzuki, who recently signed agreements to construct plants in St. Petersburg, are both considering postponing their projects until the economic climate improves. ¶8. (SBU) Other industries also provide a growing number of similar examples of business retrenchment. Flextronics, a Singapore-based producer of high-end electronics for major U.S. computer manufacturers, which had planned to start production at its assembly plant in St. Petersburg in 2008, has decided to suspend production for an undetermined period. Fosforit company, a large producer of mineral fertilizers based in Leningrad oblast, has suspended production following a sharp decline in the demand for its products. Another Leningrad oblast-based company, Pobeda Knauf, a Russian-German joint venture which manufactures construction materials, has also announced a two-month production freeze. Many construction companies have frozen their current projects and are reviewing or even cancelling their investment plans for the future. City government officials have noted that in November and December almost no new construction projects have been started throughout the city. -------------- Banking Sector: Next-in-Line? -------------- ¶9. (SBU) Against the deteriorating manufacturing background, the banking sector of St. Petersburg appears to be in relatively good shape. The only significant problem in this sector thus far has been the St. Petersburg-based VEFK Bank bankruptcy threat. This bankruptcy could have potentially had serious repercussions on the economic and social situation in the region, because VEFK has the fifth largest retail network in northwest Russia, and works with many thousands of individual clients, including pensioners who receive their pensions through the bank. Heading off bankruptcy, federal authorities replaced the bank's administration and provided the bank with a $290 million cash infusion - measures which prevented financial losses for VEFK clients and generally reassured the small depositors of other banks as well. Overall, although there are still concerns about the stability of the banking system, St. Petersburg banks have been operating without major failures so far. -------------- Average Ivan Starting to Feel the Pinch -------------- ¶10. (SBU) More and more ordinary people seem to have begun feeling the impact of the crisis in their everyday life. According to the St. Petersburg administration's Vice-Governor for Economic Development Mikhail Oseyevskiy, 1000 people are losing their jobs in the city every week, with many more companies reducing their employees' compensation packages and/or considering staff cuts as a real possibility. Also, in expectation of a decline in consumer purchasing power, some shops are beginning to shift to cheaper and lower-quality goods. Several popular retail food chains have announced a 50% reduction in the variety of articles they keep in stock on their shelves. But there seemed to be little slowdown in spending in the run-up to New Year's, the biggest holiday of the year for most Russian families. Some observers commented that Russians would not stint in their New Year's purchases, but would start to feel the financial pinch in January and February. -------------- Yet, Crisis May Provide Opportunity for Future Growth -------------- ¶11. (SBU) Optimistic business analysts, however, expect that the crisis will be instrumental in bringing eventual improvements to the city's business environment. They argue that the crisis will open more space in the marketplace for the development of stronger companies, as their less efficient competitors will be forced out. The cooling labor market should also relieve the staffing shortages and turnover problems for businesses. The head of a major U.S. company told us that staff turnover has decreased from the pre-crisis figure of 40 or so people each month to only one per month in December. Lower economic growth rates should make the infrastructure development concerns somewhat less pressing. Analysts also point out that St. Petersburg has one of the most diversified economies in Russia -- a key policy objective of Governor Matviyenko -- and hope that the slowdown in some branches of its economy would be compensated by the growth in others. ¶12. (SBU) Comment. The spreading economic downturn is becoming a serious test for St. Petersburg's economy, as it threatens many of the economic achievements which have occurred over the past five years. Although some of the optimistic expectations are not unrealistic in the long run, in the shorter term, St. Petersburg's economy will likely experience significant dislocations which will negatively impact both businesses and people alike. GWALTNEY