U.S. BLS - Total nonfarm payroll employment changed little in February (+20,000), and the unemployment rate declined to 3.8 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. Employment in professional and business services, health care, and wholesale trade continued to trend up, while construction employment decreased.

U.S. BEA - For 2018, the goods and services deficit was $621.0 billion, up $68.8 billion from $552.3 billion in 2017. Exports were $2,500.0 billion in 2018, up $148.9 billion from 2017. Imports were $3,121.0 billion, up $217.7 billion from 2017.

IMF - Economic growth is anticipated to remain around 1.8 percent in 2019. The authorities’ Fiscal Balance Program, underpinned by the 2019-20 budget, has provided a commendable framework to arrest the decline in fiscal and external buffers since 2014.

IMF - In 2019, despite lower commodity prices and slowing external demand, Uzbekistan's GDP growth is projected to pick up from 5 percent to 5½ percent

МИНЭНЕРГО РОССИИ - «Россия продолжает обеспечивать бесперебойные поставки газа в республику. В 2018 году в Болгарию было направлено 3,17 млрд куб м газа, Россия остается и основным поставщиком нефти на НПЗ Болгарии. Именно российские компании становятся крупнейшими иностранными инвесторами в экономику страны», - сообщил глава Минэнерго России.

МИНФИН РОССИИ - Ожидаемый объем дополнительных нефтегазовых доходов федерального бюджета, связанный с превышением фактически сложившейся цены на нефть над базовым уровнем, прогнозируется в марте 2019 года в размере +269,6 млрд руб.

LUKOIL - In 2018, profit attributable to shareholders amounted to RUB 619.2 bln, 47.8% higher year-on-year. The growth was constrained by higher DD&A due to the launch of new production facilities.

NOVATEK - PAO NOVATEK (“NOVATEK” and/or the “Company”) and TOTAL S.A. signed a Sales and Purchase Agreement (“Agreement”) in relation to the sale of a 10% participation interest in the Arctic LNG 2 project (the “Project”), within the binding agreement, signed at the 22nd Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum in May 2018. The transaction will be closed by the end of first quarter 2019.

2017-18 was a strong year for the Future Fund, delivering a return of 9.3% and adding over $12 billion in earnings.

БАНК РОССИИ - Физический объем ВВП России в 2018 году увеличился на 2,3%, что оказалось несколько выше прогноза Банка России (1,5–2%) и уровня, соответствующего долгосрочному потенциалу экономики.

МИНФИН РОССИИ - По состоянию на 1 марта 2019 г. объем ФНБ составил 3 887 883,6 млн. рублей, что эквивалентно 59 125,0 млн. долл. США,

U.S. BEA - Real gross domestic product (GDP) increased at an annual rate of 2.6 percent in the fourth quarter of 2018, according to the "initial" estimate released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis. In the third quarter, real GDP increased 3.4 percent.

RECHARGE - The EU will spend up to €10bn ($11.37bn) supporting innovative low-carbon technologies in sectors such as renewables and energy storage over the next decade, said the European Commission.

IMF - Looking ahead, Armenia's growth is expected to moderate to about 4½ percent in 2019, reflecting a weaker global environment and copper prices, and remain in the 4-5 percent range over the medium term. CPI inflation is projected to gradually converge to the CBA’s target of 4 percent over the next two years, as one-off factors wane. The current account deficit is expected to gradually narrow to around 5 percent of GDP. The risks to the outlook are mainly external.

NB - The Government Pension Fund Global returned -6.1 percent, or -485 billion kroner, in 2018.