Russian stocks edge up as general background, oil prices improve

MOSCOW, Nov 22 (PRIME) -- The Russian stock market consolidated in the green territory on Friday and closed slightly higher, encouraged by an optimistic global background, analysts said.

The MOEX Russia Index grew 0.17% to 2,947.68 and the RTS rose 0.05% to 1,455.42.

“The MOEX Russia and the RTS indices consolidated higher on Friday, although they were pressured by profit-taking in a number of shares,” Veles Broker analyst Yelena Kozhukhova said.

Senior analyst at Promsvyazbank Bogdan Zvarich said that the domestic market was supported by a positive external environment with the Brent oil price rising to U.S. $64 per barrel, and Western stock exchanges seen in the green territory.

Otkritie Broker analyst Andrei Kochetkov said that gas giant Gazprom reversed down after a burst of purchases in the morning following a secondary public offering (SPO) of 850.6 million shares.

Kozhukhova said that the shares of the Moscow Exchange and power producer WGC-2 were among the best performers.

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

Company	Change, %	Last price, rbl	Trading volume, bln rbl
Gazprom	-0.93	251.99	23.465
Sberbank	+0.41	238.13	8.002
Lukoil	+0.53	6120	3.895
Norilsk Nickel	-1.03	17476	2.530
Surgutneftegas	+1.86	46.73	1.908

(63.8430 rubles – U.S. $1)

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