MOSCOW: Russia stocks were lower after the close on Friday, as losses in the Oil & Gas, Mining and Telecoms sectors led shares lower. At the close in Moscow, the MICEX lost 0.54%. The best performers of the session on the MICEX were Magnit (MCX:MGNT), which rose 1.42% or 140.0 points to trade at 10002.0 at the close. Meanwhile, PIK (MCX:PIKK) added 1.27% or 3.70 points to end at 294.20 and NOVATEK (MCX:NVTK) was up 1.22% or 9.00 points to 744.20 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Bashneft ANK ao (MCX:BANE), which fell 4.87% or 184.0 points to trade at 3596.5 at the close. MMK (MCX:MAGN) declined 2.86% or 1.200 points to end at 40.800 and Surgut-pref (MCX:SNGS_p) was down 2.66% or 0.950 points to 34.700. Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Moscow Stock Exchange by 111 to 99 and 27 ended unchanged. Shares in PIK (MCX:PIKK) rose to 5-year highs; gaining 1.27% or 3.70 to 294.20.
The Russian VIX, which measures the implied volatility of MICEX options, was down 0.86% to 23.030. Gold Futures for April delivery was down 0.08% or 0.95 to $1235.85 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in March rose 2.06% or 1.09 to hit $54.09 a barrel, while the April Brent oil contract rose 2.18% or 1.21 to trade at $56.84 a barrel. USD/RUB was down 1.05% to 58.3389, while EUR/RUB fell 0.90% to 62.156.