AN EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL BEHAVIOR IN POST-SOVIET ECONOMIES DURING PERIODS OF INFLATION

This study examines how inflation affects household consumption behavior across nine post-Soviet economies - Armenia, Belarus, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Moldova, Russia, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan - from 2011 to 2021. Using panel data regression techniques, the research evaluates the impact of inflation and other macroeconomic factors such as gross domestic savings, credit to the private sector, consumer price index, and population growth on consumption expenditure. The analysis reveals significant heterogeneity across countries and highlights the mediating role of credit access and institutional strength. The findings offer valuable policy insights for enhancing financial resilience and managing inflationary impacts in transition economies.