MOSCOW, July 7 (Reuters) - Russian consumer confidence recovered from a 10-year low in the second quarter, data showed on Tuesday, in a further sign that the worst of the country's first recession in a decade may have passed.

The Federal Statistics Service said its confidence index rose 3 points to -32.

However it remains well below the +1 to -5 range seen between mid-2006 and mid-2008, before Russia's economy was knocked by slumping oil prices, a depreciating rouble, the downturn in export demand and the global credit crunch.

The balance is calculated by summing up the percentage of people with a positive outlook and deducting the negative ones.

Illustrating the improved sentiment, a VTsIOM poll on Tuesday showed that only 25 percent of Russians expect to see mass protests against falling living standards in their region -- the lowest figure in at least six months.

According to FSS, the proportion of Russians who expect their economic situation to improve over the next 12 months has remained broadly stable at around 8 percent.

But the share of people waiting for things to get worse fell sharply to 29 percent from the first quarter's 42 percent.

(Writing by Toni Vorobyova; Editing by Ruth Pitchford) Keywords: RUSSIA CONFIDENCE/

(antonina.vorobyova@reuters.com; Tel: +7495 7751242, Reuters Messaging: antonina.vorobyova.reuters.com@reuters.net)

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