Russian Stocks End Mixed as Flat MOEX Index Masks Deeper Declines

Russia's benchmark MOEX index finished the trading session flat, registering 0.00% change, but the stable headline figure masked significant underlying weakness across the Moscow Exchange.

According to market data from Investing.com, declining stocks heavily outnumbered advancers by a margin of 157 to 69, with 18 issues ending the day unchanged. This broad negative sentiment was reflected in several key blue-chip stocks hitting historic lows.

Key Movers and Milestones

The session's worst performers included major players in the mining and financial sectors. Gold producer Polyus PJSC (PLZL) was a notable decliner, falling 4.92% to reach a 5-year low.

Other significant losses included:

• AFK Sistema PJSC (AFKS), which declined 1.84% to a 5-year low.
• Bank VTB PJSC (VTBR), which dropped 0.96% to hit an all-time low.

Ad

In contrast, a few companies bucked the negative trend. Moskovskiy Kreditnyi Bank (CBOM) emerged as the day's top performer, rising 2.62%. Energy firm Tatneft (TATN) also saw gains, with its common and preferred shares adding 2.22% and 2.14%, respectively.

Currency and Commodity Context

The Russian ruble weakened against major currencies amid the mixed equity performance. The USD/RUB pair rose by 1.10% to 77.00, while the EUR/RUB gained 0.95% to 87.88.

In the broader commodity markets, which are a key driver for the Russian economy, prices were lower. Gold futures for August delivery fell 0.65%, while Crude and Brent oil contracts for August and September delivery declined 0.93% and 0.38%, respectively.