OREANDA-NEWS. November 25, 2008. Russia’s trade balance surplus, based on an estimate by the Ministry of Economic Development, rose to USD 163.9 bn in January-October from USD 103.6 bn in the year-earlier period, according to a report on the country’s socio-economic development in January-September 2008 which the ministry released on Monday. 10M08 foreign trade turnover under the payment balance methodology amounted to USD 656.1 bn, climbing 43.9% y-o-y. Exports accounted for 62.5% of aggregate turnover of goods and 37.5% fell to imports.