Russian stocks mixed on new sanctions expectations, weak oil market

MOSCOW, Apr 28 (PRIME) -- The Russian stock market closed with mixed dynamics on Friday amid expectations of the new eleventh package of sanctions against Russia and lack of positive news at oil market, analysts said.

The MOEX Russia Index fell 0.42% to 2,634.94 and the RTS increased 0.89% to 1,033.57.

“The MOEX Russia Index renewed its yearly high of 2,657.9 points this week… Further active growth of indices is now hindered by expectations of a new package of sanctions from E.U., and also absence of positive dynamics in the oil market on the threshold of the U.S. Federal Reserve System meeting,”  Ivan Kapustyansky, analyst at managing company Pervaya, said.

According to Freedom Finance Global’s Senior Analyst Natalya Milchakova, the central bank’s decision to retain key rate at 7.5% was rather neutral for the stock market, except for a sharp strengthening of the ruble, as a result the decision had a positive effect on the RTS Index.

The news about the possible twofold reduction of subsidies to oil companies by the government on dampening led to the sales of industry securities, the analyst added.

The leaders of the growth in the Russian stock market were shares of small capitalization companies against the background of the exit of investors from the blue chips, Milchakova also said.

The shares of biotech company Genetico, which have just been listed on the Moscow Exchange, rose the most in price on the back of very high investor demand.

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

Company	Change, %	Last price, rbl	Trading volume, bln rbl
Sberbank	+0.01	240.41	10.584
VTB Bank	-0.42	0.02237	9.605
Gazprom	-1.28	181.6	6.543
Norilsk Nickel	-1.3	15170	2.386
Lukoil	-0.21	4690	2.292

(81.5601 rubles – U.S. $1)

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