MOSCOW: The rouble weakened on Tuesday, erasing earlier gains and sliding below its highest level against the dollar since August, now that the monthly tax payments that were boosting demand for the Russian currency have largely passed.
The rouble slid to 64.40 versus dollar, down 0.5 percent on the day, by 1444 GMT, heading away from its strongest level in seven months of 63.63 it touched last week.
The rouble gained this week after the US attorney general said an investigation had found no evidence US President Donald Trump's campaign had colluded with Russia in the 2016 election - news that investors saw as making it less likely that Washington would impose fresh sanctions on Moscow.
The support proved to be short-lived as the market priced in the report quickly and its support ran out of steam. Support from month-end taxes that usually prompt export-focused companies to convert their FX revenues also waned after the main chunk of tax payments was met.
This week, the rouble can still get a boost from the finance ministry's auctions of OFZ treasury bonds that are due on Wednesday and the profit tax payment that falls on Thursday, Nordea bank analysts said.
Demand for OFZ bonds at the ministry's auctions has been strong so far this month, suggesting investors were interested in increasing exposure to Russian risks.
More than half the demand for the bonds auctioned weekly had come from investors abroad, while the volume of bonds sold by the finance ministry reached an all-time high.
The rouble has been also supported by Brent crude oil prices which edged up on Tuesday, helped by supply cuts led by OPEC and US sanctions against Iran and Venezuela.
Russian stock indexes inched higher. The dollar-denominated RTS index rose 0.2 percent to 1,231.1 points, while the rouble-based MOEX Russian index was 0.7 percent higher at 2,514.2 points.
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