Russian stocks close mixed thanks to worsened external environment

MOSCOW, Oct 19 (PRIME) -- The Russian stock market made growth attempts at the beginning of the trading session on Monday, but failed to consolidate within the 2,800–2,850 range and reversed to the opening level by the evening thanks to a discouraging foreign background, analysts said.

The MOEX Russia Index fell 0.19% to 2,794.27 and the RTS increased 0.20% to 1,135.12.

“The MOEX Russia Index and the RTS index were trading flat by the end of the trading session on a lack of significant drivers, both domestic and external… The consumer sector demonstrated the most positive dynamics,” Veles Broker analyst Yelena Kozhukhova said.

Senior analyst at Promsvyazbank Bogdan Zvarich said that the Russian benchmarks tried to return to the 2,800–2,850 range in the morning, but it failed to consolidate within the range due to worsening of the global environment.

The Brent oil price was seen stable at U.S. $43 per barrel, European indices closed with marginal changes, and the major U.S. indices Dow Jones and S&P500 fell by less than 0.1% in the first hours of trade, he added.

Preferred shares of oil company Transneft was among the biggest losers as it was trading ex-dividend, while metals giant RUSAL and grocery retailer Magnit were the best performers adding 4.40% and 3.51%.

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

Company	Change, %	Last price, rbl	Trading volume, bln rbl
Sberbank	+1.33	203.84	8.885
Gazprom	-0.04	163.92	5.237
Yandex	+0.26	4541.6	4.846
Norilsk Nickel	+1.31	19940	4.222
Lukoil	-1.26	4199.5	3.156

(77.9644 rubles – U.S. $1)

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