Russian stocks edge up thanks to encouraging foreign background

MOSCOW, Dec 16 (PRIME) -- The Russian stock market edged up on Monday with both the MOEX Russia Index and the RTS index managing to hit record highs thanks to a positive external environment, analysts said.

The MOEX Russia Index grew 0.32% to 3,006.16 and the RTS rose 1.05% to 1,517.16.

“The Russian stock market started the week with continuing upward dynamics thanks to external factors. Improvement of trade relations between the U.S. and China influence positively on a wide range of assets,” senior analyst at Promsvyazbank Bogdan Zvarich said.

The Brent oil price managed to break through a $65.5 per barrel mark, and Western floors also demonstrated positivity including European bourses adding 1.3% and the main U.S. benchmarks rising 0.6–0.7%, he also said.

Metals giant Norilsk Nickel and oil and gas company Surgutneftegas were among the top performers adding 1.27% and 1.09%, respectively, Zvarich added.

Veles Broker analyst Yelena Kozhukhova said that both the MOEX Index Russia and the RTS index hit new record highs during the day.

She added that retailers M.Video and Detsky Mir underperformed as traded ex-dividend.

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

Company	Change, %	Last price, rbl	Trading volume, bln rbl
Gazprom	+0.51	250.78	7.429
Norilsk Nickel	+1.27	19722	6.319
Sberbank	+0.1	241.45	6.187
Lukoil	+0.36	6190	4.360
Surgutneftegas	+1.09	48.025	3.207

(62.5544 rubles – U.S. $1)

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