Russian stocks close mixed amid low oil prices, weak ruble

MOSCOW, Aug 22 (PRIME) -- Russian stocks closed mixed on Monday on the back of falling oil prices and depreciated ruble, analysts said.

The MICEX rose 0.99% to 1,979.09 and the RTS fell 0.25% to 963.29.

“A downward correction of oil futures turned to be a signal for ruble’s depreciation against main foreign currencies. This in its turn became a reason for a significant decrease of the dollar-denominated RTS. At the same time, the ruble-denominated MICEX is balancing today on the edge of positive and negative changes,” Vitaly Manzhos, a senior analyst at Bank Obrazovanie, said.

Food retailer Magnit was among growth leaders on Monday, having closed 3.21% higher. The demand for the company’s shares is connected with expectations of pension indexation and correspondingly with prospects of a growth of an average bill in the company’s stores, Finam analyst Bogdan Zvarich said.

Shares of coal producer Raspadskaya grew 2.38%, as investors expect publication of the company’s financial report for January–June under International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) scheduled for Friday, Promsvyazbank analyst Yevgeny Lokhtyukhov said.

Oil company Bashneft rose 1.71% after Economic Development Minister Alexei Ulyukayev said the company’s privatization was ready from the technical point of view and will depend on a political decision.

Power producer Enel Russia decreased 2.03% on reports about an accident at the Reftinskaya GRES power plant in the Sverdlovsk Region, Yegor Dakhtler, an analyst at Veles Capital, said. The company said the plant’s main equipment was not damaged in the accident.

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

Company	Change, %	Last price, rbl	Trading volume, bln rbl
Sberbank	+1.16	137.37	6.466
Gazprom	+0.73	137.80	1.792
Lukoil	+1.26	2985.00	1.512
Norilsk Nickel	+1.04	9890.00	1.267
Magnit	+3.21	10589.00	1.083

(63.9391 rubles – U.S. $1)

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