Russian equities finished the session higher on Thursday, with the MOEX Russia Index recording a 0.95% gain at the close in Moscow. Sector-level strength in Oil & Gas, Power and Mining supported the broader advance.
Among individual names, VK Company Ltd (MCX:VKCO) was the session's best performer on the MOEX Russia Index, rising 4.10% - a 9.70 point increase - to finish at 246.05. Moskovskiy Kreditnyi Bank PAO (MCX:CBOM) gained 2.95%, adding 0.18 points to close at 6.28. Aeroflot PJSC (MCX:AFLT) rose 2.78%, or 1.30 points, to end the day at 48.03.
On the other end of the leaderboard, United Company Rusal IPJSC (MCX:RUAL) fell 1.45%, a decline of 0.52 points, to close at 35.25. Federal Hydro Generating Company RusHydro PJSC (MCX:HYDR) was listed among the session's weaker names and was unchanged 1.01% or 0.00 points to end at 0.38. Rosneft PJSC (MCX:ROSN) declined 0.78%, or 3.15 points, finishing the day at 400.70.
Market breadth on the Moscow Stock Exchange was narrowly negative at the close: 122 stocks fell versus 115 that advanced, while 13 issues finished unchanged.
Implied volatility, as measured by the Russian Volatility Index - RVI - moved lower during the session, falling 2.52% to 21.70.
Commodities and FX moved modestly alongside equity flows. Gold futures for June delivery declined 0.30%, a drop of 13.80, to $4,544.20 a troy ounce. In energy markets, crude oil for July delivery fell 0.26% - down 0.26 - to $98.00 a barrel, while the July Brent contract slipped 0.09%, or 0.09, to $104.84 a barrel.
On the currency front, USD/RUB was unchanged at 71.21 and EUR/RUB was unchanged at 82.72. The US Dollar Index Futures moved up 0.15% to 99.17.
Summary of notable moves:
- Top gainers: VKCO (+4.10% to 246.05), CBOM (+2.95% to 6.28), AFLT (+2.78% to 48.03).
- Top decliners: RUAL (-1.45% to 35.25), HYDR (unchanged to 0.38), ROSN (-0.78% to 400.70).
- Index movement: MOEX Russia Index +0.95% at the close in Moscow.