Russia's services sector contracted in March for the first time in six months as demand softened and new orders broadly stalled, a business survey showed on Friday. The S&P Global Russia Services PMI Business Activity Index fell to 49.5 in March from 51.3 in February, dropping below the 50 mark separating growth from contraction. New business was broadly unchanged after four months of expansion, as some firms cited lower client purchasing power, greater uncertainty and lost work linked to the war in the Middle East.