Russian stocks mixed on oil price fall, mixed foreign markets

MOSCOW, Jul 6 (PRIME) -- The MOEX Russia Index fell on Friday on the back of sliding oil prices and mixed foreign markets as investors were wary of risk after the start of the China–U.S. trade war, while the RTS grew due to a slight strengthening of the ruble, analysts said.

The MOEX Russia Index decreased 0.06% to 2,345.38 and the RTS index rose 0.16% to 1,173.47.

“On Friday, July 6, the Russian stock market fell because the oil prices fell… The Brent oil quotations fell to U.S. $76.5 per barrel, probably because of growth of the U.S. crude reserves,” Freedom Finance analyst Anastasia Sosnova said.

Global markets were in a standstill as investors watched the U.S. and China, which mutually introduced import duties on Friday, for signs of scaling up or easing the conflict, Sosnova said.

Andrei Kochetkov, an analyst at Otkritie Broker, said that Russian oil, gas and metals companies were market outsiders.

Yelena Kozhukhova, an analyst at Veles Broker, said that MTS and Bashneft saw an ex-dividend gap. MTS decreased 3.84%, the common shares of Bashneft 4.77% and the preferred ones 7.99%.

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

Company	Change, %	Last price, rbl	Trading volume, bln rbl
Sberbank	+0.97	226.71	12.414
Lukoil	-1.04	4415.5	3.255
Gazprom	-0.41	144.96	2.483
Norilsk Nickel	+1.14	11698	1.744
ALROSA	-2.23	105.3	1.461

(63.2604 rubles – U.S. $1)

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