Russian stocks rise on oil price rebound, better background

MOSCOW, Dec 26 (PRIME) -- Russian stocks closed higher on Wednesday supported by an oil price rebound and overall improvement of the foreign background, analysts said.

“The MOEX Russia Index and the RTS index tried to consolidate in plus by the end of trading on Wednesday amid an improvement of the foreign background,” Veles Broker analyst Yelena Kozhukhova said.

The MOEX Russia Index rose 0.79% to 2,308.85 and the RTS increased 0.43% to 1,053.17.

The ruble depreciated against the dollar and euro. Trading in the U.S. opened with growth of three main indices, while there was no trading on European floors.

Oil prices accelerated growth by the end of the trading day and were adding around 2–3% after a major collapse on Monday.

Oil company Tatneft’s preferred shares and coal producer Raspadskaya were among growth leaders, adding 3.83% and 2.53%, respectively, while oil and gas pipe maker TMK and the Federal Grid Company of Unified Energy Systems (FGC UES) were among outsiders, falling 1.3% and 1.29%, respectively.

Aluminum giant UC RUSAL grew 2.01% on reports about resignation of chairman of the board of directors Matthias Warnig, one of the conditions for the U.S. to remove RUSAL from the sanctions list, Forex Club analyst Ivan Marchena said.

Novorossiysk Commercial Sea Port (NCSP) added 1.78% as the shareholders approved paying 0.2648 rubles per share, or a total of 5.1 billion rubles, in dividends for January–September, the analyst said.

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

Company	Change, %	Last price, rbl	Trading volume, bln rbl
Sberbank	+0.05	183.40	5.542
Gazprom	+0.95	148.41	1.277
Lukoil	+0.41	4829.50	0.883
Norilsk Nickel	+2.49	12867.00	0.881
Magnit	+1.51	3491.50	0.647

(68.7448 rubles – U.S. $1)

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