Russian stock market varies as players take profit
MOSCOW. Dec 19 (Interfax) - Trading on the Russian stock exchange on Wednesday saw variations in quotations for blue chips as market players started taking profits following world markets on news that S&P has raised its rating for Greece. The MICEX Index went below 1,480 points after moving up to 1,490 points in morning trades.
Blue chips on the MICEX went down by 0.2% to 1,478.83 points (after hitting a height of 1,487.44 points) while the RTS Index went up by 0.4%. Ruble-based blue chips changed within 1.2% on the MICEX-RTS.
Advancers for the day were MMC Norilsk Nickel , up 0.9%, Rostelecom - 0.6%, Surgutneftegas - 0.3%, and Tatneft - 0.4%.
Decliners included VTB , down 0.1%, Gazprom , Gazprom Neft - 1.2%, Lukoil - 0.01%, NOVATEK - 0.6%, Polyus Gold - 0.1%, Rosneft - 0.4%, Sberbank - 0.6%, and Federal Grid Company UES - 0.9%.
Posting gains among second tier stocks on the MICEX-RTS on Wednesday were shares in Severstal , up 3.9%, Transneft - 2.2%, KamAZ - 1.7%, TGK-1 - 1.6%, Sollers - 1.2%, TMK - 1.1%, and Inter Rao UES - 1%.
Posting losses were TGK-9 , down 2.5%, AvtoVaz - 1.9%, Uralkali - 1.6%, VSMPO-Avisma - 1.5%, and Enel OGK-5 - 1.2%.
Total stock trading on the MICEX-RTS main market for the day came to 26.885 billion rubles (7.282 billion rubles of which went to Sberbank common shares), Standard - $49.772 million, and Standard sector - $1.318 million.
