September 19, 2007	Wednesday	Ramazan 06, 1428

MOSCOW, Sept 18: Industrial production in Russia slowed sharply to 3.8 per cent in August on an annual basis from 7.8 per cent in July, the country’s statistics agency Rosstat said on Tuesday.

The figures disappointed analysts, who had forecast growth of 7.6 per cent in line with previous months, Interfax news agency said.

Industrial output had grown by 10.9 in June and 6.7 per cent in May.

The August figure is the weakest year-on-year industrial production rate since January.

In the first eight months of the year industrial production increased by 7 per cent compared to the same period of last year, the agency said.

—AFP