Bears edge bulls as MICEX nears 1,700 pts
MOSCOW. June 15 (Interfax) - Buyers on the Russian stock market drove the MICEX index above 1,700 points but retreated after weak economic data in the U.S. sparked a global selloff.
The MICEX index closed down 0.17% to 1,678.82 points (after touching 1,704.53 points earlier in the session) and the RTS index was down 0.34% to 1,919.05 points (daily high of 1,950.47 points).
Decliners on MICEX included Gazprom - down 1.1%, Gazprom Neft - 2.5%, NOVATEK - 0.3%, MMC Norilsk Nickel - 0.2%, Rosneft - 0.9%, Rostelecom - 0.2% and Transneft - 2.1%.
Among advancers, Lukoil edged up 0.1%, Surgutneftegas rose 0.6%, Tatneft was up 1.4%, and precious metal producers Polyus Gold - 1.6% and Polymetal - 3%.
Among second tier stocks on MICEX, VSMPO-Avisma declined 2.8%, OGK-1 was down 2.6%, TGK-9 - down 1.9%, TGK-1 - 1.8% and Severstal - 1.7%.
Advancers included Avtovaz - up 3%, AFK Sistema - 2.2%, Uralkali - 1.6% and Inter RAO UES - 1.3%.
Volume totaled $9.74 million on RTS Classica, $530 million on RTS Standard and 56.382 billion rubles on MICEX.
RTS$#&: AFKS, AVAZ, CHMF, GAZP, GMKN, IRAO, LKOH, NLMK, NVTK, OGKA, PLZL, PMTL, PRSB, ROSN, RTKM, SIBN, SNGS, TATN, TGKA, TGKI, TRNF, URKA, VSMO
