The Central Bank has reduced the commission for buying currency from brokers for individuals, and Google has suspended advertising sales in Russia due to the requirements of Roskomnadzor – these and other important news for Friday morning, March 4, in our daily review.

The Bank of Russia has announced a change in the commission for buying currency on the stock exchange for individuals, which it introduced on March 3, according to the regulator’s Telegram channel. Now it is 12% instead of the previous 30%.

Google has temporarily banned the sale of any online advertising in Russia. The ban applies to advertising in search pages, on video hosting YouTube and from external partners, Reuters reports.

The US Treasury Department has excluded companies owned by Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov from sanctions. The document signed by Andrea Gaki, director of the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) on March 3, says that even those companies where Usmanov owns more than 50% will not fall under the sanctions.

VTB said it would raise the minimum rate on mortgage loans to 22.4% starting March 4. The bank explained its decision to revise the terms of mortgage lending, including the Central Bank’s decision on the key rate of 20%, said Forbes in the press service of VTB.

International rating agency S&P downgraded Russia’s long-term sovereign credit rating from BB+ to CCC-. Earlier on Thursday, March 3, Moody’s downgraded Russia’s rating from Baa3 to B3, Fitch downgraded it from BBB to B.