According to FSSS preliminary data, in the first half of the year, the richest 10% received 29.6% of the population's total income, and the poorest 10% received 2%. In the first half of 2004, these figures were 30% and 2% respectively.
In the first half of 2005, 35.2% of the population had incomes of over 7,000 rubles ($244), compared with 25.2% in the same period last year. Data showed 1.3% of Russians received less than 1,000 rubles in the first half of this year compared to 2.8% last year. The income group earning over 7,000 rubles continued to be the largest group.
In the first half of this year, income exceeded spending by 4.9 billion rubles (5.944 trillion vs. 5.939 trillion rubles), compared to a difference of 55.6 billion rubles for the same period last year.
Income in the first half of this year was used for goods and services (72.5% of the total), utilities (8.5%), savings (10.9%), and foreign currency purchases (8%).
