MOSCOW: The Russian rouble was little changed in early trade on Thursday, lacking an impetus as higher oil prices outweighed increasing political tensions between Moscow and the West.
As of 0810 GMT, the rouble was steady at 57.73 against the dollar and eased 0.1 percent to trade at 71.09 versus the euro.
Geopolitical tensions were in focus after the West announced the expulsion of scores of Russian diplomats, leaving the markets wondering how Moscow would retaliate.
While Moscow's relations with the West may have sunk to a new post-Cold War low, foreign appetite for Russian bonds has yet to be significantly dented and local firms' overseas capital-raising plans are still set to go ahead.
Oil prices played on the upside for Russian assets by rising as the producer cartel OPEC and other suppliers looked set to continue withholding output for the rest of the year and potentially into 2019.
Brent crude oil, a global benchmark for Russia's main export, was up 4 cent at $69.57 a barrel.
Activity on the market has faded as Thursday was the last working week day for some international trades before the long Easter weekend in the West.
"We can expect low volumes and activity today," analysts at Alfa Bank said in a note.
Russian stock indexes were slightly up.
The dollar-denominated RTS index was up 0.63 percent to 1,234 points. The rouble-based MOEX Russian index was 0.64 percent higher at 2,263 points.
Shares in Russian food retailer X5 Retail Group, outperformed by rising 6.8 percent after the company promised hefty dividends and said its net profit more than doubled in year-on-year terms in the fourth quarter of 2017.
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