Russian stocks can fall on US trade wars, sanctions threats

MOSCOW, Apr 6 (PRIME) -- The stock market will likely fall at Friday's opening over investor concerns about trade wars between the U.S. and China and a possible introduction of U.S. sanctions against the Russian businessmen, analysts said.

“The morning sales of the S&P Index (by 0.9% during premarket trade) and a decline of oil quotations create a melancholic mood before the start of the Russian session on Friday,” Alpari senior analyst Anna Bodrova said.

“The global capital markets which have just calmed down about the problems in relations between the U.S. and China are again possessed by fear.”

Vitaly Manzhos, a senior risk manager at investment company Nord Capital, said that investors are also waiting for the U.S. to introduce sanctions against Russian businessmen, which is another negative factor for the local market.

Bodrova said that as a result, the Russian benchmarks will likely open with a 0.1–0.3% downward gap, while assets, which did not grow on Wednesday and Thursday, may increase on Friday. The MOEX Russia Index can consolidate at 2,270–2,300 and the RTS Index at 1,245–1,260.

Manzhos said that a release of U.S. statistics can influence the Russian market to a certain extent later on Friday.

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