Investing.com – Russia stocks were lower after the close on Thursday, as losses in the Telecoms, Oil & Gas and Mining sectors led shares lower.
At the close in Moscow, the MICEX fell 1.81% to hit a new 1-month low.
The best performers of the session on the MICEX were Bashneft ANK ao (MCX:BANE), which rose 6.50% or 115.0 points to trade at 1885.0 at the close. Meanwhile, Bashneft ANK ap (pref) (MCX:BANE_p) added 5.18% or 66.0 points to end at 1340.0 and RDR United Company RUSAL PLC (MCX:RUALR) was up 2.57% or 8.90 points to 354.90 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were SG mechel (MCX:MTLR), which fell 6.77% or 4.76 points to trade at 65.54 at the close. ALROSA ao (MCX:ALRS) declined 4.62% or 3.400 points to end at 70.200 and Surgut (MCX:SNGS) was down 4.47% or 1.625 points to 34.730.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Moscow Stock Exchange by 137 to 57 and 6 ended unchanged.
The Russian VIX, which measures the implied volatility of MICEX options, was up 6.47% to 43.090.
Gold for April delivery was up 0.67% or 8.00 to $1205.00 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in May rose 3.19% or 1.57 to hit $50.78 a barrel, while the May Brent oil contract rose 3.96% or 2.23 to trade at $58.72 a barrel.
USD/RUB was down 0.17% to 57.318, while EUR/RUB fell 0.83% to 62.520.
The US Dollar Index was up 0.33% at 97.40.