Russian stock market follows int'l markets up Thurs
MOSCOW. March 28 (Interfax) - The Russian stock market followed European and U.S. markets up on Thursday, with bank securities serving as the engine of growth after the end of bank holidays in Cyprus.
By the end of the day, the MICEX stock index had grown 0.6% to 1434.18 points, and the RTS index was up 0.6% to 1454.72 points.
The majority of benchmark stocks on the Moscow Exchange increased by up to 3.7%, led by Sberbank of Russia prefs (+3.7%) and followed by VTB (+3.1%), Lukoil (+1.4%), MMC Norilsk Nickel (+2%), Sberbank ordinary shares (+1.8%), Surgutneftegas (+0.6%), Tatneft (+2.2%) and FGC UES (+2%).
Gazprom shares sank 2.3%.
The day's second-tier winners were Magnit (+7.1%), RAO ES of East (+5.2%), IDGC Holding (+4%), TGK-1 (+3.9%), Aeroflot (+3.8%) and Irkutskenergo (+3.2%).
Second-tier losers included IDGC Center and Volga (-2.7%), Sollers (-2.3%), AFK Sistema (-1.6%), IDGC North Caucasus (-1.5%) and Vozrozhdenie Bank (-1.4%).
Combined trading volume on the main Moscow Exchange market for the day came to 40.473 billion rubles, including 12.08 billion rubles in ordinary Sberbank shares and 10.159 billion rubles in Gazprom shares. In the Standard sector it totaled $54.84 million, and in the Classica sector - $4.226 million.
