Russian stocks edge up despite mixed foreign background

MOSCOW, Oct 23 (PRIME) -- The Russian stock market edged up on Friday despite a controversial and modestly negative foreign environment, analysts said.

The MOEX Russia Index grew 0.48% to 2,816.70 and the RTS increased 0.76% to 1,164.06.

“The MOEX Russia Index and the RTS managed to stay in the positive territory by the end of the trading session despite controversial sentiments abroad… The RTS index was additionally supported by a strengthening ruble,” Veles Broker analyst Yelena Kozhukhova said.

Senior analyst at Promsvyazbank Bogdan Zvarich said that the local market was pressured both by the energy market dynamics with the nearest Brent oil futures declining 0.2% to around U.S. $42 per barrel and by mixed dynamics of Western stock exchanges.

Kozhukhova said that precious metals producer Polymetal International and Polyus were pressured by a fall in gold prices to below $1,900 per ounce, and that gold producers have no significant growth drivers in the short term.

Shares of coal producer Raspadskaya decreased 1.87% after releasing operating data for January–September, demonstrating a 36% fall in the output.

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

Company	Change, %	Last price, rbl	Trading volume, bln rbl
Sberbank	+1.87	214.15	15.121
Gazprom	-0.37	164.66	5.167
Lukoil	+0.39	4324.5	4.144
Norilsk Nickel	+0.56	19782	3.828
Yandex	+0.4	4472.6	2.877

(77.0809 rubles – U.S. $1)

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