Russian stocks close mixed due to uncertain global environment

MOSCOW, Nov 17 (PRIME) -- The Russian stock market was trading flat and closed mixed on Friday due to an oil price rebound, analysts said.

The MICEX fell 0.03% to 2,131.91 and the RTS rose 0.53% to 1,132.45.

“The upcoming weekend has prevented risky trading,” Otkritie Broker analyst Andrei Kochetkov, said.

Senior analyst at Freedom Finance Bogdan Zvarich said that on the one hand the market was supported by positive oil dynamics with the Brent oil price reversing up to around $62 per barrel, but on the other hand local stocks were pressured by a negative external environment.

Anastasia Sosnova, senior analyst at Bank Rossiysky Capital, added that there is wariness on the global market connected with implementation of a taxation reform in the United States.

Grocery retailer Magnit and the country’s second biggest lender VTB Bank were among top performers. The stocks surged 5.4% to 6.884 rubles and 2.56% to 0.05338 rubles, respectively, to win back previous losses.

Power holding Inter RAO was among market outsiders falling 2.73% to 3.5235 rubles following its IFRS financial report marking a 40.4% year-on-year decrease in net profit to 40.75 billion rubles in January–September.

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

Company	Change, %	Last price, rbl	Trading volume, bln rbl
Sberbank	-0.81%	225.65	8.574
Magnit	+5.4%	6884	6.689
Gazprom	+0.35%	129.65	2.358
VTB Bank	+2.56%	0.05338	2.155
Rosneft	-0.92%	300.7	1.576

(59.9898 rubles – U.S. $1)

End