Stock Markets March 24, 2026

MOEX edges higher as Oil & Gas, Manufacturing and Telecom names lead gains

Moscow benchmark posts modest advance while commodity prices and FX show mixed moves

By Derek Hwang MGNT
MOEX edges higher as Oil & Gas, Manufacturing and Telecom names lead gains
MGNT

Russia's equity benchmark finished modestly higher as sector strength in Oil & Gas, Manufacturing and Telecoms supported the market. The MOEX Russia Index closed up 0.19%, with several large-cap names posting notable gains while a subset of energy and materials stocks fell. Commodities and foreign-exchange rates moved unevenly during the session.

Key Points

  • The MOEX Russia Index closed up 0.19% on Tuesday, supported by gains in Oil & Gas, Manufacturing and Telecoms sectors.
  • Top performers included OZON (MCX:OZON) up 2.27%, Magnit PJSC (MCX:MGNT) up 2.14%, and Gazprom PJSC (MCX:GAZP) up 1.99%; top decliners included Surgutneftegas PJSC Pref (MCX:SNGS_p) down 2.61%, OK Rusal MKPAO (MCX:RUAL) down 1.91%, and PhosAgro PJSC (MCX:PHOR) down 1.87%.
  • Commodities and FX were mixed: June gold futures rose 1.47% to $4,504.90/oz, May crude increased to $88.39/bbl, June Brent fell to $95.80/bbl, while USD/RUB and EUR/RUB were unchanged.

Russian equities moved into positive territory at the close on Tuesday, with the MOEX Russia Index finishing the session up 0.19% in Moscow. Sector-level strength in Oil & Gas, Manufacturing and Telecoms helped lift the measure modestly by the market's end.

Among individual issues on the MOEX Russia Index, OZON (MCX:OZON) was the session's top performer, rising 2.27% - an increase of 99.00 points - to finish at 4,460.00. Magnit PJSC (MCX:MGNT) also advanced, gaining 2.14% or 67.00 points to close at 3,205.00. Gazprom PJSC (MCX:GAZP) added 1.99%, or 2.62 points, to reach 134.29 by the close of trading.

Not all names moved higher. The weakest performers included Surgutneftegas PJSC Pref (MCX:SNGS_p), which declined 2.61% or 1.23 points to end at 45.69. OK Rusal MKPAO (MCX:RUAL) fell 1.91%, down 0.79 points to 40.28, while PhosAgro PJSC (MCX:PHOR) slipped 1.87% or 142.00 points to finish at 7,458.00.

Market breadth leaned toward declines: on the Moscow Stock Exchange, falling stocks outnumbered advancers by 135 to 105, and 13 issues finished unchanged.

The Russian Volatility Index - RVI, which measures the implied volatility of MOEX Russia Index options, moderated during the session, slipping 1.12% to 24.82.

Commodities traded with mixed results. Gold Futures for June delivery rose 1.47% - up 65.40 - to $4,504.90 a troy ounce. In oil markets, crude for May delivery increased 0.30% or $0.26 to $88.39 a barrel, while the June Brent contract fell 0.30% or $0.29 to $95.80 a barrel.

Foreign-exchange rates were effectively unchanged at the close. USD/RUB was flat at 0.00%, holding at 80.73, and EUR/RUB was also unchanged at 0.00%, remaining at 93.50. The US Dollar Index Futures finished the session higher, up 0.31% at 99.04.


This session's price action showed modest gains in headline indices alongside a mix of individual winners and losers, with commodity and FX moves providing a varied backdrop for investors focused on Russian equities.

Risks

  • Market breadth showed more decliners than advancers (135 versus 105), indicating uneven participation across stocks - this could affect sector-sensitive portfolios, particularly in materials and energy.
  • Volatility, as measured by the RVI, remains elevated at 24.82 despite a modest decline of 1.12%, signaling that option-implied uncertainty persists for MOEX-linked positions.
  • Commodity price fluctuations - with gold rising and Brent crude slipping slightly - present uncertainty for commodity-linked sectors such as Mining and Oil & Gas, which are sensitive to swings in underlying commodity markets.

More from Stock Markets

Mexican equities climb as industrial and consumer names lead gains Mar 24, 2026 Baltimore Sues xAI, Alleging Grok Produces Nonconsensual Sexual Images Including Minors Mar 24, 2026 Colombian equities finish higher as COLCAP inches up 0.31% Mar 24, 2026 Jury Finds Meta Violated New Mexico Consumer Law, Orders $375 Million Penalty Mar 24, 2026 Air Canada Confirms Two Pilot Fatalities After LaGuardia Landing Accident Mar 24, 2026