Sept 27 (Reuters) - The Russian rouble edged lower on Wednesday ahead of two OFZ treasury bond auctions by the finance ministry, supported for now by a favourable month-end tax period and higher oil prices.
At 0723 GMT, the rouble was 0.1% weaker against the dollar at 96.49 and had gained 0.1% to trade at 102.09 versus the euro. It had shed 0.3% against the yuan to 13.19.
Month-end tax payments, that usually see exporters convert foreign currency revenues to pay local liabilities, support the rouble, but the currency can slide early on in the month once the period has passed.
The rouble has also now lost the temporary support of higher sales of foreign currency than usual by the central bank, which was selling around 21.4 billion roubles ($221.9 million) of yuan a day until the start of this week.
"The rouble is still stable," said Alor Broker's Alexei Antonov. "Tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, due to the end of the tax period, we expect the beginning of its moderate weakening."
Brent crude oil, a global benchmark for Russia's main export, was up 0.5% at $94.42 a barrel, supporting Russian stock indexes.
The dollar-denominated RTS index was up 0.3% to 1,001.7 points. The rouble-based MOEX Russian index was 0.6% higher at 3,068.8 points.
Shares in steel pipemaker TMK were 1.2% higher, outperforming the wider market, after it narrowed the price guidance for its secondary public offering.
Russia's finance ministry will offer two OFZ papers at auction later on Wednesday.
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($1 = 96.4250 roubles) (Reporting by Alexander Marrow Editing by Mark Potter)
