Dollar slips on MICEX on Tues, ruble moves up against bi-currency basket
MOSCOW. March 22 (Interfax) - The U.S. dollar closed trading on the MICEX on Tuesday with losses as the euro moved up on the Forex and world prices for oil remained high. By the close of trading, the dollar was able to reduce some of its losses for the day. The Russian ruble increased against the Central Bank's bi-currency basket (set at 0.45 euro and $0.55) by the end of the day.
The dollar went down by 7.1 kopecks to close at 28.244 rubles while the euro decreased by 4.25 kopecks to finish at 40.07 rubles/EUR1.
The dollar hit a session low of 28.12 rubles/$1 in morning trades, which was the dollar's lowest point since March 4 and close to its minimum for December 2008.
The bi-currency basket dropped to 33.5 rubles during morning trading but was able to shorten its losses to five kopecks for the session and closed at 33.57 rubles.
The dollar's average weighted exchange rate on MICEX went down by 19.1 kopecks to 28.1536 rubles/$1 in Today deals and 15.86 kopecks to 29.1717 rubles/$1 in Tomorrow deals. Combined dollar trading on MICEX amounted to $5.177 billion; of which $1.15 billion were Today deals and $4.027 billion were Tomorrow deals.
The euro's average weighted rate went down by 9.96 kopecks to 40.0777 rubles/EUR1 in Today deals and increased by 3.61 kopecks to 40.095 rubles/EUR1 in Tomorrow deals. Combined euro trading amounted to292.9 million euro, of which 86.8 million euro were Today deals and 206 million euro were Tomorrow deals.
The overnight MosPrime Rate held at 3.16% for the day. The rate has held at this position since March 14.