Russian stocks decrease amid falling oil, US, EU trading floors

MOSCOW, Feb 1 (PRIME) -- Russian stocks decreased on Monday on the back of falling oil prices and U.S. and E.U. indices, analysts said.

The MICEX fell 0.66% to 1,773.21 and the RTS decreased 2.00% to 730.39.

Anton Startsev, an analyst at Olma, said that the oil market fall, the main negative factor for the Russian stocks, was caused by China’s weak statistics, which put raw materials markets under pressure.

The dollar-denominated RTS was particularly depressed by the weak national currency.

Andrei Kochetkov, an analyst at Otkritie Broker, said, “The ruble fell following the ‘black gold’. Besides the low prices, the possibility that the Finance Ministry may tighten taxation of some new deposits put Russian oil companies under pressure.”

Vitaly Manzhos, an analyst at Obrazovanie Bank, said that the Russian indices were also depressed by a fall of the E.U. and U.S. indices.

Shares of companies, which may be privatized, surged on the news of a meeting held by Russian President Vladimir Putin with CEOs and top officials over privatization, Manzhos said.

Flagship carrier Aeroflot jumped 8.46% to 54.77 rubles, oil company Bashneft rose 2.43% to 1,772 rubles per preferred share and 0.72% to 2,030 rubles per common share, and diamond producer ALROSA grew 0.44% to 62 rubles.

Oil major Rosneft fell 0.97% to 269.80 rubles, another oil producer Lukoil went down 0.86% to 2,547 rubles, and gas giant Gazprom decreased 1.98% to 133.90 rubles amid an oil price fall.

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

Company	Change, %	Last price, rbl	Trading volume, bln rbl
Sberbank	0.00	96.50	8.635
Gazprom	-1.98	133.90	4.280
Lukoil	-0.86	2547.00	3.298
Norilsk Nickel	-1.72	8698.00	1.757
Magnit	-2.00	11270.00	1.202

(75.1723 rubles – U.S. $1)

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