UPDATE 2: Ruble falls at record pace in months, RTS breaks through 1,100

(Adds latest ruble rate figures in lede, paragraph 2)

MOSCOW, Apr 9 (PRIME) -- The Russian ruble fell by 1.76 rubles against the U.S. dollar to 59.93 as of 2:54 p.m., Moscow time on Monday, at a record speed in the last several months and the RTS Index dropped by 11.53% to 1,093.89 as of 1:14 p.m., a record low since September 2017, according to data of the Moscow Exchange.

The ruble fell 2.21 rubles against the euro to 73.59 rubles.

The MOEX Russia Index slid 9.35% to 2,067.99.

Oil and gas securities decreased by 2.16–11.7%, metals and mining papers by 2.11–32%, of the financial sector 5.97–13%.

On the London Stock Exchange (LSE), global depositary receipts (GDR) of Evraz fell 15.01% at 1:01 p.m., Moscow time to 3.829 British pounds, Norilsk Nickel’s GDRs decreased 16.56% to U.S. $15.33. Sberbank GDRs fell 16.94% to $15.75.

GDRs of En+ fell by 30.83% to $6.68.

The U.S. has imposed sanctions on 38 Russian tycoons, officials and companies, including Viktor Vekselberg, Oleg Deripaska and Suleiman Kerimov.

In 2014, relations between Russia and the West deteriorated to their worst since the Cold War due to a military conflict in Ukraine. The West introduced sanctions against some Russian individuals and firms and further against the energy and banking sectors. In response, Russia limited food imports from some countries, including the U.S., the E.U., Canada, Australia, and Norway.

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