MOSCOW: The Russian rouble eased slightly on Wednesday and stock indexes inched lower as oil prices slid from recent peaks and with support from month-end tax payments about to run out of steam.
Geopolitical tensions remained in focus after Western countries said they would expel more than 100 Russian diplomats in response to a nerve agent attack in England that Britain blames on Russia. Moscow has promised to retaliate.
At 0741 GMT, the rouble was 0.15 percent weaker against the dollar at 57.60, its weakest level in a week. Against the euro, the rouble was virtually unchanged at 71.34 .
The rouble is on track to lose support from month-end tax payments that end on Wednesday. Taxes usually prompt export-focused companies to convert part of their revenues to meet local liabilities.
Prices for oil, Russia's key export, also put some pressure on Russian assets. Brent crude futures declined 0.9 percent to $69.5 per barrel from their highest level since late January of $71.05, hit earlier this week.
The rouble-based MOEX Russian index shed 0.6 percent to 2,249.4 points, while its dollar-traded peer RTS fell 1.1 percent to 1,230.8.
In contrast with the broader market, shares in Russia's No.2 oil producer Lukoil rose 0.3 percent after the company said it would increase dividends. This week, Lukoil's market capitalisation surpassed that of state-run oil giant Rosneft and Gazprom.
The bond market focus was a regular auction of two tranches of OFZ bonds maturing in 2024 and in 2034.
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