ST. PETERSBURG Russia’s St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), widely seen as an alternative to the annual World Economic Forum in Davos, focused this year on the challenges of high interest rates and a strong national currency. The 28th edition of SPIEF brought together senior officials and company representatives from 144 countries to discuss global and regional economic issues. A total of 1,060 deals were signed at the event, with an estimated value of around $80 billion.