Russian stocks seen flat on foreign mkt optimism, US Trump wariness

MOSCOW, Jan 13 (PRIME) -- The Russian stock market will likely open flat at the start of the Friday’s trading session because optimism diffusing from Western markets will be leveled off by uncertainty after a news conference by U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, analysts said.

“The ultimate influence of the key external factors which significantly affect the behavior of the Russian financial market is close to neutral today in the start of the day, in our estimates,” Oleg Shagov, director of the analysis department of Solid, said.

Brent futures have reached U.S. $56 per barrel as the Saudi Energy Minister said that the country had reduced the oil output beyond the OPEC deal terms. U.S. stock market futures are rising, the European premarket session also signals an increase at the opening. Asian markets are demonstrating mixed dynamics. These factors will contribute to a neutral market opening in Russia, Shagov said.

Finam analyst Timur Nigmatullin said that uncertainty due to election of Donald Trump as the U.S. president – the politician has not disclosed the details of his future economic policies and the attitude toward sanctions against Russia – will be pressurizing Russian assets.

Shagov said that speeches by executives of the Russian central bank, the Finance and the Economic Development ministries at the Gaidar forum are expected to be the most important Russian events on Friday.

Sberbank will release a report under Russian Accounting Standards (RAS), which is also important for Russian investors, he said.

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