Russia's equity market finished lower on Friday, with sector pressure from Oil & Gas, Manufacturing and Telecoms pushing the MOEX Russia Index down 0.16% at the close in Moscow.
On the session's leaderboard, TATNEFT n.a. V.D. Shashin Pref (MCX:TATN_p) led gains, rising 1.31% or 7.90 points to finish at 609.90. Gazprom PJSC (MCX:GAZP) added 0.96% or 1.25 points to close at 131.99, while PIK SHb PJSC (MCX:PIKK) advanced 0.77% or 3.60 points to 474.10 in late trade.
Conversely, AK ALROSA PJSC (MCX:ALRS) was the session laggard, slipping 1.77% or 0.68 points to end at 37.75. VK Company Ltd (MCX:VKCO) fell 1.63% or 4.80 points to close at 289.95, and AFK Sistema PJSC (MCX:AFKS) declined 1.62% or 0.22 points to 13.08.
Decliners outnumbered advancers on the Moscow Stock Exchange by 146 to 96, with 11 stocks finishing unchanged.
AK ALROSA PJSC recorded a notable low for the session, with the share price falling to 5-year lows as it moved down 1.77% or 0.68 to 37.75.
Volatility, as measured by the Russian Volatility Index - RVI, eased during the session, dropping 6.84% to 24.77.
Commodity markets saw divergent moves. Gold Futures for April delivery fell 2.47% or 113.70 to $4,492.00 a troy ounce. Crude oil strengthened, with the May contract rising 2.66% or 2.54 to $98.09 a barrel, and the May Brent contract climbing 3.90% or 4.24 to trade at $112.89 a barrel.
In currency trading, the ruble strengthened against the dollar as USD/RUB declined 3.51% to 83.13, while EUR/RUB ticked up 0.01% to 96.18. The US Dollar Index Futures finished higher, up 0.26% at 99.32.
Key points
- MOEX Russia Index closed down 0.16% as Oil & Gas, Manufacturing and Telecoms pressured the market.
- Top gainers included TATNEFT pref, Gazprom and PIKK; biggest decliners were ALRS, VKCO and AFKS.
- Commodities diverged: crude oil rose notably while April gold futures fell sharply; the ruble strengthened against the dollar.
Risks and uncertainties
- Sector concentration of losses - particularly in Oil & Gas, Manufacturing and Telecoms - could widen market weakness if selling intensifies.
- Sharp commodity price moves, such as the fall in gold and rise in crude, introduce wealth and input-cost volatility affecting energy and commodity-linked firms.
- Currency swings, highlighted by a 3.51% drop in USD/RUB, may affect exporters, importers and companies with significant dollar-denominated exposures.
Market data and prices cited reflect the close in Moscow on the referenced trading day.