MOSCOW: Russia stocks were higher after the close on Tuesday, as gains in the Telecoms, Oil & Gas and Mining sectors led shares higher. At the close in Moscow, the MICEX added 0.26%. The best performers of the session on the MICEX were AK Transneft OAO Pref (MCX:TRNF_p), which rose 3.44% or 6500 points to trade at 195500 at the close. Meanwhile, MTS (MCX:MTSS) added 3.05% or 8.40 points to end at 283.75 and Megion (MCX:MFGS) was up 2.69% or 17.0 points to 650.0 in late trade. The worst performers of the session were FSK EES (MCX:FEES), which fell 3.51% or 0.0068 points to trade at 0.1880 at the close. SG mechel (MCX:MTLR) declined 3.08% or 4.60 points to end at 144.60 and Yandex NV (MCX:YNDX) was down 2.74% or 37.00 points to 1311.00.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Moscow Stock Exchange by 111 to 95 and 18 ended unchanged. Shares in MTS (MCX:MTSS) rose to 52-week highs; up 3.05% or 8.40 to 283.75. Shares in Megion (MCX:MFGS) rose to 52-week highs; up 2.69% or 17.0 to 650.0. The Russian VIX, which measures the implied volatility of MICEX options, was up 1.11% to 24.660. Gold Futures for April delivery was up 0.95% or 11.75 to $1245.75 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in May fell 1.51% or 0.74 to hit $48.17 a barrel, while the May Brent oil contract fell 1.36% or 0.70 to trade at $50.92 a barrel. USD/RUB was up 0.60% to 57.6427, while EUR/RUB rose 0.82% to 62.177. The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.65% at 99.51.
