Translation disclaimer: machine-assisted translation may contain inaccuracies. Always refer to the original source for authoritative text.
In particular, car dealerships reported a decline in vehicle sales at the start of the year. In certain regions, footfall at cafes and restaurants fell, and demand for hotel services weakened. In many macro-regions [broad geographic groupings used by the CBR to aggregate regional economic data], interest in purchasing furniture, construction materials, home goods, and household appliances declined. At the same time, retailers' short-term demand expectations for February recovered slightly following a decline in January.
Overall business activity growth slowed, though its trajectory continued to vary by region and sector. Automotive plants in the Volga-Vyatka region [an economic macro-region in central European Russia] increased production, and the volume of non-residential buildings commissioned in the Urals rose. Meanwhile, against a backdrop of declining coal extraction and exports in Siberia, cargo throughput at Far Eastern ports decreased.
For more detail, see the March edition of the report "Regional Economy: Commentary from the Main Directorates" [a regular CBR publication drawing on analysis from the Central Bank's regional offices], whose special topics include business investment activity, import supplies, and freight logistics.
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