Russian equities finished lower on Thursday, driven primarily by retreating shares in the Oil & Gas, Power and Mining sectors. At the close in Moscow, the MOEX Russia Index declined 1.96% and registered a new 52-week low.
Market breadth was decisively negative. On the Moscow Stock Exchange, decliners outnumbered advancers by 206 to 36, with nine stocks finishing unchanged.
Top and bottom movers
The session's best performing name on the MOEX Russia Index was Moskovskiy Kreditnyi Bank PAO (MCX:CBOM), which rose 3.44% - gaining 0.29 points to close at 8.57. AFK Sistema PJSC (MCX:AFKS) added 1.59%, or 0.21 points, finishing at 13.25. Polyus PJSC (MCX:PLZL) advanced 0.74%, up 15.00 points to 2,044.80 late in the session.
On the downside, Severstal PJSC (MCX:CHMF) led losses after falling 3.47% - a decline of 23.20 points to end the day at 646.00. Federal Hydro Generating Company RusHydro PJSC (MCX:HYDR) slipped 3.37%, down 0.01 points to 0.34, and Rosneft PJSC (MCX:ROSN) retreated 3.32%, losing 11.20 points to finish at 326.40.
Notable price milestones
- Shares of Moskovskiy Kreditnyi Bank PAO (MCX:CBOM) rose to a 52-week high, closing at 8.57 after a 3.44% gain.
- Severstal PJSC (MCX:CHMF) fell to three-year lows, closing at 646.00 following a 3.47% drop.
- Federal Hydro Generating Company RusHydro PJSC (MCX:HYDR) traded at a five-year low, ending at 0.34 after a 3.37% decline.
- Rosneft PJSC (MCX:ROSN) moved to three-year lows, finishing at 326.40, down 3.32%.
Volatility, commodities and currencies
The Russian Volatility Index - RVI, which reflects implied volatility in options on the MOEX Russia Index, rose 8.18% to 28.29, establishing a new three-month high.
In commodities trading, Gold Futures for August delivery fell 3.51% - a decline of 153.65 to settle at $4,227.75 a troy ounce. Crude oil for July delivery eased 0.27%, down 0.21 to $76.58 a barrel, while the August Brent contract slipped 0.24%, falling 0.19 to trade at $79.24 a barrel.
On the currency front, USD/RUB was unchanged at 73.32, and EUR/RUB remained unchanged at 84.03. The US Dollar Index Futures rose 0.76% to 100.62.
The market's decline was broad-based, with the most pronounced moves concentrated in commodity-linked names and the utilities segment. The uptick in the RVI underscores increased option-implied volatility, while mixed moves in precious metals and oil highlight uneven flows across commodity markets.