MOSCOW: Russia stocks were lower after the close on Monday, as losses in the Mining, Telecoms and Oil & Gas sectors led shares lower. At the close in Moscow, the MICEX fell 0.03%. The best performers of the session on the MICEX were MMK (MCX:MAGN), which rose 2.18% or 0.890 points to trade at 41.690 at the close. Meanwhile, Gruppa LSR PAO (MCX:LSRG) added 2.17% or 21.0 points to end at 987.5 and Severstal – ao (MCX:CHMF) was up 1.66% or 15.10 points to 924.90 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were United Company Rusal Plc (MCX:RUAL), which fell 2.71% or 0.860 points to trade at 30.850 at the close. SG mechel (MCX:MTLR) declined 2.70% or 4.80 points to end at 172.80 and ALROSA ao (MCX:ALRS) was down 1.93% or 2.000 points to 101.500. Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Moscow Stock Exchange by 122 to 98 and 22 ended unchanged. The Russian VIX, which measures the implied volatility of MICEX options, was down 0.30% to 23.510. Gold Futures for April delivery was down 0.90% or 11.10 to $1224.80 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in March fell 1.75% or 0.94 to hit $52.92 a barrel, while the April Brent oil contract fell 1.96% or 1.11 to trade at $55.59 a barrel. USD/RUB was down 0.08% to 58.1757, while EUR/RUB fell 0.74% to 61.690. The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.25% at 100.97.
