MOSCOW: Russia stocks were higher after the close on Thursday, as gains in the Telecoms, Oil & Gas and Mining sectors led shares higher. At the close in Moscow, the MICEX rose 2.44%. The best performers of the session on the MICEX were United Company Rusal Plc (MCX:RUAL), which rose 8.62% or 2.730 points to trade at 34.390 at the close. Meanwhile, Lukoil (MCX:LKOH) added 5.02% or 161.5 points to end at 3376.5 and Tatneft-3 (MCX:TATN) was up 4.92% or 20.15 points to 429.95 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Polymetal International PLC (MCX:POLY), which fell 4.58% or 32.00 points to trade at 667.00 at the close. AK Transneft OAO Pref (MCX:TRNF_p) declined 1.36% or 2850 points to end at 207000 and MVideo (MCX:MVID) was down 0.81% or 3.10 points to 381.40. Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Moscow Stock Exchange by 131 to 101 and 16 ended unchanged. Shares in United Company Rusal Plc (MCX:RUAL) rose to 52-week highs; gaining 8.62% or 2.730 to 34.390. The Russian VIX, which measures the implied volatility of MICEX options, was up 1.60% to 22.170.
Gold for February delivery was down 0.96% or 11.45 to $1186.35 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in March rose 2.24% or 1.18 to hit $53.93 a barrel, while the March Brent oil contract rose 2.40% or 1.32 to trade at $56.40 a barrel. USD/RUB was up 1.60% to 60.4641, while EUR/RUB rose 0.79% to 64.522. The US Dollar Index was up 0.72% at 100.63.
