MOSCOW: The Russian rouble firmed on Friday, bouncing off 10-day lows, as oil prices resumed gains and global sentiment towards emerging market currencies improved.
The rouble gained 0.3 percent to 64.73 against the dollar , heading away from its weakest level since March 18 of 65.29 it hit the day before.
Versus the euro, the rouble added 0.2 percent to 72.73 .
Support from tax payments that usually boosts demand for roubles has waned after month-end tax liabilities passed, leaving the Russian currency more vulnerable to global trends.
"Today the rouble has chances for restoring positions amid global optimism related to reports on progress in trade talks between China and the United States," Nordea bank analysts said in a note.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Friday he had a "productive working dinner" the previous night in Beijing, kicking off a day of talks aimed at resolving the bitter trade dispute between the world's two largest economies.
Russian treasury bonds rose on Friday despite the finance ministry's intention to increase state borrowing in the second quarter, as the head of the ministry's debt department said in an interview with Reuters.
Yields of 10-year OFZ treasury bonds, which move inversely with their prices, declined to 8.31 percent from 8.36 percent seen at the end of the previous trading session.
Prices for oil, Russia's key export, supported Russian assets as Brent crude oil futures rose 0.3 percent to $68 per barrel.
The dollar-denominated RTS index was up 0.8 percent to 1,216.6 points, while the rouble-based MOEX was 0.4 percent higher at 2,501.8 points.
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