Market close
Russia's main exchange ended Wednesday with modest gains as the MOEX Russia Index rose 0.40% at the close in Moscow. Strength in the Mining, Oil & Gas and Manufacturing sectors contributed to the uptick across the benchmark.
Top movers
The session's best performers on the MOEX Russia Index were VK Company Ltd (MCX:VKCO), which climbed 3.55% or 8.45 points to finish at 246.80. United Company Rusal IPJSC (MCX:RUAL) gained 2.94% or 1.00 point to close at 34.88, and AFK Sistema PJSC (MCX:AFKS) rose 2.66% or 0.29 points to end at 11.27 in late trade.
Lagging names
On the downside, ROSSETI PJSC (MCX:FEES) was the weakest listed stock, falling 8.20% or 0.01 to trade at 0.06 at the close. Unipro PJSC (MCX:UPRO) slipped 0.93% or 0.01 to 1.33, and GMK Noril'skiy Nikel' PAO (MCX:GMKN) lost 0.47% or 0.60 points to finish at 127.30.
Breadth and notable low points
Decliners outnumbered advancers on the Moscow Stock Exchange by 132 to 110, with 9 stocks unchanged. Shares of ROSSETI PJSC (MCX:FEES) declined to five-year lows - down 8.20% or 0.01 to 0.06 - while Unipro PJSC (MCX:UPRO) fell to three-year lows, down 0.93% or 0.01 to 1.33.
Volatility, commodities and FX
The Russian Volatility Index - RVI, which tracks implied volatility of MOEX Russia Index options, eased 3.80% to 22.29. In commodities trading, Gold Futures for August delivery declined 1.03% or 46.50 to $4,488.50 a troy ounce. Crude oil for July delivery dropped 4.77% or 4.48 to $89.41 a barrel, while the August Brent contract was unchanged at $92.99 a barrel.
In currency markets, USD/RUB was unchanged at 70.90 and EUR/RUB was unchanged at 82.43. The US Dollar Index Futures rose 0.05% to 99.16.
Trading tools note
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Conclusion
The Moscow market recorded a modest advance driven by select gains in commodity-linked and industrial names, while notable declines pushed a handful of stocks to multi-year lows. Volatility eased and moves in gold and crude oil were pronounced, underscoring the influence of commodity prices on market dynamics.