Russian stocks close mixed as anti-sanctions initiative gets stuck

MOSCOW, Jan 16 (PRIME) -- The Russian stock market closed mixed on Wednesday despite a positive global environment as it was pressured by uncertainty about sanctions against tycoon Oleg Deripaska’s companies, analysts said.

The MOEX Russia Index fell 0.2% to 2,434.60 and the RTS rose 0.43% to 1,152.99.

“The Russian stock indices closed mixed despite a moderately positive external background. The market was pressured by uncertainty in the situations of sanctions against (aluminum giant) RUSAL and the future of the Brexit deal which will impact the global risk tolerance,” Veles Broker analyst Yelena Kozhukhova said.

RUSAL lost another 1.63% to 29.660 rubles and power company En+ slid 3.54% to 443.6 rubles after the U.S. Senate had voted to block a plan by the Treasury to lift sanctions from the companies of Deripaska.

Veles Capital analyst Alexei Adonin said the MOEX Russia Index traded in the negative territory during the day, but bounced back later thanks to rising crude prices and the encouraging mood on the world’s stock exchanges.

Below are the MOEX Russia Index’s five most active stocks on Wednesday:

Company	Change, %	Last price, rbl	Trading volume, bln rbl
Sberbank	+1.65	201.26	12.484
Gazprom	-0.79	156.9	3.272
Lukoil	-1.27	5129	2.613
Magnit	+1.28	3970	1.501
Rosneft	-0.79	421	1.306

(67.0820 rubles – U.S. $1)

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