Russian stocks rise amid optimism on global floors

MOSCOW, May 21 (PRIME) -- Russian stocks increased on Tuesday amid positive moods on global floors, analysts said.

The MOEX Russia Index rose 1.75% to 2,616.53, and the RTS Index increased 1.82% to 1,279.12.

“The MOEX Russia Index and the RTS index remained in a steady plus by the end of trading on Tuesday amid a domestic and external optimism,” Veles Capital analyst Yelena Kozhukhova said.

Trading on the U.S. stock floors started with growth of three main indices, which were adding around 0.4–1.1% by the end of trading in Russia, she said. Trading in Europe was on a moderately optimistic note. Oil quotations retreated from the highs of the day and reached a symbolic minus by the evening, she added.

Oil major Gazprom Neft’s shares jumped 4.35% after the company said that its net profit attributable to shareholders rose 50% on the year to 107.894 billion rubles in January–March, as calculated under International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).

Gas giant Gazprom added 3.49% after its board of directors recommended raising dividends for 2018 to 16.61 rubles per share, or a total of 393.2 billion rubles, from 8.04 rubles per share paid in dividends for 2017.

Oil company RussNeft was among outsiders, losing 4.17%, Kozhukhova said.

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

Company	Change, %	Last price, rbl	Trading volume, bln rbl
Gazprom	+3.49	207.80	18.735
Sberbank	+2.97	232.71	13.543
Lukoil	+2.46	5300.00	5.986
Norilsk Nickel	+1.42	13548.00	2.281
Rosneft	+1.9	415.95	1.637

(64.4888 rubles – U.S. $1)

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