During the summer of 1998, the Russian economy was primed for the onset of a currency crisis.In an attempt to avert the crisis, the CBR intervenedby decreasing the growth of the money supply andtwice increasing the lending rate to banks, raisingit from 30 to 150 percent. Both rate hikes occurredin May 1998, the same month in which the Russianstock market lost 39 percent of its value.
