Russians make bid for slice of financial pie

(BBC): Moscow has long seen itself as an international cultural and historical hub. Now the Russian government wants to turn it into a global financial centre. The initiative aims to make foreign investors feel welcome and to improve Russia’s image among international companies. "Our interest is obvious," Russian President Dmitry Medvedev told St Petersburg International Economic Forum last week. "In order to modernise [our economy], we need a developed and globally competitive national financial system."