Russian stocks close mixed after oil prices resume growth

MOSCOW, Sep 22 (PRIME) -- The Russian stock market was consolidating during the day and closed mixed on Friday amid rising oil prices and a neural global environment, analysts said.

The MICEX fell 0.42% to 2,051.63 and the RTS rose 0.28% to 1,123.24.

“Consolidation was the main trend on the Russian stock market… the external background was still neutral,” Anastasia Sosnova, senior analyst at Bank Rossiysky Capital, said.

Otkritie Broker analyst Andrei Kochetkov said that foreign investors worried about new threats from North Korea, while traders in Russia had their own reasons for concern.

S&P Global Ratings agency cut credit ratings of China and Hong Kong, and it may lead to growing costs of borrowing in Southeast Asia and a slowdown in economic activity, Kochetkov said.

Russian metals producers demonstrated a negative reaction to the move. Gold producer Polyus fell 3.26% to 4,450 rubles, aluminum giant UC RUSAL sagged 1.65% to 44.75 rubles and steelmaker Severstal dropped 1.1% to 882.3 rubles.

On the contrary, oil prices supported the local market with Brent crude futures hitting a 6-month record high of $56.8 per barrel following a meeting of the ministerial commission to monitor the implementation of an OPEC and non-OPEC oil output cut deal.

Below are the MICEX’ five most active stocks on Friday:

Company	Change, %	Last price, rbl	Trading volume, bln rbl
Sberbank	+0.09%	187.55	7.012
Norilsk Nickel	-1.2%	9593	2.534
Gazprom	-0.32%	121.95	2.341
Lukoil	-0.72%	2970	2.311
ALROSA	+1.76%	80.9	1.040

(58.2242 rubles – U.S. $1)

End