Russian stock market down on external negative
MOSCOW. April 18 (Interfax) - The Russian stock market was down on Wednesday on the back of a global negative, pressured by fallen oil prices from data on U.S. raw material stocks growth.
By the end of Wednesday's trade, the MICEX stock index had edged down 0.2% to 1468.55 points (its lowest value since January 16), while the RTS stock index had also fallen 0.2% - to 1583.06 points. The majority of benchmark stocks on the MICEX-RTS stock exchange were mixed and incurred losses of up to 1.9%.
Market losers included VTB (-0.1%), Gazprom (-0.9% to 169.39 rubles), Lukoil (-0.1%), Polyus Gold (-0.5%), Rosneft (-0.2%), Sberbank of Russia (-0.4%), Tatneft (-1.5%), FGC UES (-1.7%), and Surgutneftegas prefs (-1.9%).
Gainers were Gazprom Neft (+0.1%), NOVATEK (+0.1%), MMC Norilsk Nickel (+0.7%), Rostelecom (+0.9%) and Surgutneftegas (+0.1%).
Posting losses among second tier stocks on the MICEX-RTS were TGK-13 , down 9.2%, OGK-2 - 2.7%, Mechel - 2.2%, Magnitogorsk Iron & Steel Works - 2.2%, Aeroflot - 2.1%, and TGK-14 - 1.9%.
Posting gains were TGK-9 , up 6.3%, E.ON Russia - 2.3%, VSMPO-Avisma - 2.2%, TGK-2 - 1.9%, IDGC Center and Volga - 1.6%, Novolipetsk Steel - 1%, and Severstal - 1%.
Acron's shares slipped 0.2%. The market reaction to the release of the company's decent results for the fourth quarter of 2011 was generally neutral.
Total stock trading on the MICEX-RTS main market for the day came to 36.952 billion rubles (of which 13.069 billion rubles went to Sberbank common shares), Standard sector deals - $321.244 million, and Classic sector transactions -$2.786 million.