Main events by the morning: March 22

• The Russian government has proposed to prioritize the transportation of fuel by rail over other types of cargo. This measure can help solve fuel supply problems, which have been exacerbated by accidents at oil refineries and the slowdown in train traffic on the Russian Railways network.

• The Central Bank of the Russian Federation has begun discussing with brokerage companies the possibility of opening client accounts directly on the Moscow Stock Exchange. This innovation was met with resistance from brokers, who expressed concerns about the loss of their intermediary status, increased risks to the exchange and a potential decrease in the quality of customer service.

• For the first time since last autumn, banks began to raise credit card limits for Russians. According to the Scoring Bureau, in February, the average credit card limit resumed growth after a four-month decline, reaching 96.6 thousand rubles. Despite the acceleration of credit card issuance, experts have not yet recorded signs of a new wave of market activation.

• The United States has called on Ukraine to stop attacks on Russian refineries, warning that drone strikes could lead to an increase in global oil prices and provoke retaliatory measures.

• Since February 2022, Western companies have purchased Russian titanium for «hundreds of millions of dollars», despite sanctions against Moscow. VSMPO-Avisma continues to actively sell titanium in the USA. American experts are afraid that if Russia stops supplies, the United States will not be able to produce military aircraft.