MOSCOW, January 23 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's industrial production rose 6.5% in December and 6.3% in 2007, year on year, the Federal Statistics Service said on Wednesday.
The figures surpassed preliminary forecasts that suggested the figure would reach around 4-5%.
Russian manufacturing, which posted a 4.4% growth in 2006, showed a 9.3% rise last year.
Experts say that the overall growth indicates that Russia successfully coped with the 'first wave' of the U.S. subprime loan crisis in August 2007 and ensuing global downturn.
"For now, we can say that the financial crisis has had no negative impact on Russia's economic growth" - Yarislav Lisovolik, a Deutsche Bank expert, told RIA Novosti. "This gives us reason to hope that Russia will successfully cope with the new crisis, which erupted in January."
Deutsche Bank forecasts 6.2% growth in industrial production, with GDP reaching 7% in 2008.
