Russian rail freight -- a key indicator of broader economic health -- rose 12.7 percent in May from a year earlier, as companies were shipping more coal, metal and cement amid continued economic recovery from recession.

State rail monopoly Russian Railways said freight totalled 103.2 million tons last month, up from 101.1 million in April.

The pace of growth in freight, however, eased slightly from 13.3 percent in April, potentially reflecting a reduction in the favourable base effects from the 2009 crisis.

The data chimes in with a Russian manufacturing PMI released, which showed that activity expanded in May for a fifth month in a row, although the pace of growth was a little slower than in April.

Rail freight returned to growth in year-on-year terms in November 2009, as Russia's economy began its slow recovery from the first recession in a decade. (Reuters)