Russian stock indexes were lower. The dollar-denominated RTS index was down 0.3% at 986.9 points. The rouble-based MOEX Russian index was 0.1% lower at 2,387.1 points. For Russian equities guide see For Russian treasury bonds see (Reporting by Alexander Marrow; Editing by Bradley Perrett)
MOSCOW, March 24 (Reuters) - The Russian rouble weakened
marginally on Friday, after a strong performance in the previous
session, holding not far from a one-week high against the dollar
and supported by the promise of upcoming month-end tax payments.
At 0711 GMT, the rouble was 0.2% weaker against the dollar
at 76.21 . On Thursday, it touched a more than
one-week high of 75.7125.
It gained 0.1% to trade at 82.57 versus the euro , pulling further clear of the more than 11-month
low it touched in the previous session. It shed 0.1% against the
yuan to 11.12 .
"The approaching peak of tax payments, which comes at the
start of next week and leads to growth in the supply of foreign
currency by exporters, is giving the main support to the
national currency," said Banki.ru chief analyst Bogdan Zvarich.
Brent crude oil , a global benchmark for Russia's
main export, was up 0.4% at $76.2 a barrel, moving further away
from the more than one-year low hit this week.
Lower oil prices harm the rouble as they create risks of
lower foreign currency inflows from Russian exports. General
risk aversion is also at play, with geopolitical uncertainty and
Western sanctions on Russian energy exports limiting the
rouble's room to strengthen.
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