Rouble Wavers Amid U.S. Sanctions and Market Confusion

Russia’s rouble experienced mixed trading due to U.S. sanctions on Moscow Exchange, causing confusion and limited access to reliable data. Dollar and euro trading shifted to over-the-counter, affecting rouble prices. Liquidity issues and varying spreads complicated accurate pricing, impacting both interbank and over-the-counter markets.

Russia's rouble was mixed in different trading markets on Friday, after U.S. sanctions on Moscow Exchange sowed confusion across Russian financial markets and continued to limit access to reliable data. The new U.S. sanctions forced Russia's leading exchange to halt dollar and euro trading, which led to a range of varying prices and spreads as trading moved over-the-counter (OTC) on Thursday, obscuring access to reliable pricing for the Russian currency.

On the interbank market, where liquidity can be low and major Russian banks that have been sanctioned by the United States cannot participate, the rouble traded at 89.20 against the dollar as of 0741 GMT. The central bank set its official exchange rate at 88.2080 roubles per dollar for Friday.

In more liquid trading, the rouble was 0.5% higher at 88.50, according to a Reuters analysis of the over-the-counter market. The euro was up 0.8% at 94.75. Against the yuan, the most traded foreign currency in Moscow and still available through the exchange, the rouble had firmed 0.5% to 12.17.

Brent crude oil, a global benchmark for Russia's main export, was down 0.4% at $82.44 a barrel. Russian stock indexes were lower, but had recovered from the months-long lows plumbed early in the previous session.

The rouble-based MOEX Russian index was 0.3% lower at 3,161.8 points. For Russian equities guide see

For Russian treasury bonds see

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