31 Dec 2009 10:55

Russian stock market opens with quotation gains, MICEX Stock Exchange up 0.26% in first minute

MOSCOW. Dec 31 (Interfax) - Russia's stock market opened on Thursday with quotation gains on the majority of benchmark stocks following rising oil prices and U.S. stock futures. The MICEX Stock Exchange gained 0.26% in the first minute of trading.

By 10:31 am Moscow time, the MICEX had gone up by 0.26% to 1,365.46 points while the RTS Index had increased by 0.61% to 1,435.59 points.

RTS futures topped the base asset by 5.6%, indicating a moderately positive mood among investors.

The gainers in the first 30 minutes of trading on the MICEX were Gazprom , up 0.8%, VTB - 0.4%, Lukoil - 0.1%, MMC Norilsk Nickel - Rosneft - 0.4%, Gazprom Neft - 0.7%, Sberbank - 0.5% and Polyus Gold - 0.2%.