Russian stocks close mixed amid stronger ruble, Brent price rise

MOSCOW, May 13 (PRIME) -- Russian stocks closed mixed Wednesday, with the RTS backed by the ruble appreciation against the U.S. dollar and the MICEX declining on negative revaluation of exporters’ shares due to the stronger ruble, analysts said.

The MICEX fell 1.31% to 1,682.26 and the RTS increased 1.12% to 1,082.21.

“Despite the Brent oil price resuming growth, the ruble strengthening by 2.5% is putting pressure on the majority of oil producing companies and exporters on the whole,” Raiffeisen Capital analyst Sofya Kirsanova said.

The dollar-denominated RTS was supported by strengthening ruble backed by growing oil prices, Finam analyst Timur Nigmatullin said. Brent oil prices are growing about 1% to U.S. $67.6 per barrel, he said.

Oil major Surgutneftegas’ preferred shares closed 1.67% higher after a 8.36% decline on Tuesday as the company denied plans to buy a 19.5% stake in oil major Rosneft from the government.

Novorossiysk Commercial Sea Port (NCSP) grew 8.48% after the company’s board of directors recommended paying 4.499 billion rubles, or 23.36 kopecks per share, in dividends for 2014.

Metals giant Norilsk Nickel fell 2% despite the company’s shareholders approving paying 670.04 rubles per share, or a total of over 106 billion rubles, in final dividends for 2014.

Hydropower giant RusHydro went down 1.54% despite the board of directors’ recommendation to pay 0.016 rubles per share, or a total of 6.033 billion rubles, in dividends for 2014.

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

Company	Change, %	Last price, rbl	Trading volume, bln rbl
Sberbank	+0.07	75.24	8.182
VTB	-0.71	0.06600	4.336
Gazprom	-1.59	151.74	3.637
Lukoil	-2.91	2620.00	3.339
Surgutneftegas prefs	+1.67	38.105	3.119

(50.9140 rubles – U.S. $1)

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