Investing.com – Russia stocks were higher after the close on Thursday, as gains in the Power, Oil & Gas and Mining sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Moscow, the MICEX gained 1.05%.
The best performers of the session on the MICEX were RusHydro JSC (MCX:HYDR), which rose 4.46% or 0.0305 points to trade at 0.7140 at the close. Meanwhile, Rostelecom (MCX:RTKM) added 3.25% or 3.06 points to end at 97.33 and Rosneft (MCX:ROSN) was up 2.71% or 8.15 points to 309.40 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Ros Agro PLC (MCX:AGRO), which fell 4.18% or 51 points to trade at 1168 at the close. MegaFon OAO (MCX:MFON) declined 4.03% or 34.00 points to end at 809.00 and Gruppa Cherkizovo ao (MCX:GCHE) was down 3.14% or 30.0 points to 925.0.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Moscow Stock Exchange by 122 to 105 and 17 ended unchanged.
Shares in Rostelecom (MCX:RTKM) rose to 52-week highs; up 3.25% or 3.06 to 97.33. Shares in Rosneft (MCX:ROSN) rose to all time highs; rising 2.71% or 8.15 to 309.40.
The Russian VIX, which measures the implied volatility of MICEX options, was down 1.38% to 35.690 a new 1-month low.
Gold for April delivery was up 2.81% or 34.60 to $1264.40 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in April rose 3.64% or 1.40 to hit $39.86 a barrel, while the May Brent oil contract rose 2.31% or 0.93 to trade at $41.26 a barrel.
USD/RUB was down 1.56% to 68.0909, while EUR/RUB fell 0.95% to 77.123.
The US Dollar Index was down 1.02% at 94.72.