MOSCOW, Nov 13 (Reuters) - The Russian rouble steadied on Friday after slipping to a near one-week low the day before as the global rise in coronavirus cases weighed on risky assets, while support from hopes for a potential COVID-19 vaccine faded.
At 0758 GMT, the rouble was 0.2% firmer at 77.25 versus the
The rouble showed limited reaction to Russia's decision to
tap the global market for the first time in 2020, raising 2
billion euros ($2.4 billion) in Eurobonds.
Versus the euro, the rouble was steady at 91.23
, far from levels of around 70 seen in early 2020
before oil prices crashed and the coronavirus pandemic spread.
"The decline in oil prices and the weakness of emerging
market currencies will put pressure on the rouble," said Bogdan
Zvarich, chief analyst at Promsvyazbank.
Oil prices fell on Friday, pressured by fears about a slow
recovery in the global economy and fuel demand due to an
accelerating rise in COVID-19 infections, but remained on track
for a second straight weekly gain.
Russia reported a record high of 21,983 new coronavirus
infections on Friday but authorities spoke against wide-scale
lockdowns, promising to send thousands of Russia-made COVID-19
vaccine shots to Moscow and regions.
Markets have generally shrugged off news about Russia's
vaccine. Pfizer's announcement this week of positive
trial results from a COVID-19 vaccine it has developed with
Germany's BioNTech had a relatively brief impact.
Brent crude oil, a global benchmark for Russia's
main export, was down 1.3% at $42.96 a barrel.
On the stock market, the dollar-denominated RTS index
was down 0.6% to 1,231 points. The rouble-based MOEX
Russian index was 0.3% lower at 3,018 points.
Shares in business conglomerate Sistema jumped
more than 3%, outperforming the market on reports its online
retailer OZON was planning to raise $750 million in an initial
public offering in the United States.
For Russian equities guide see
For Russian treasury bonds see
($1 = 0.8468 euros)
(Reporting by Anna Rzhevkina; Editing by Andrey Ostroukh and
Mark Potter)