MOSCOW, March 28 (Reuters) – The Russian rouble firmed against the dollar on Tuesday, supported by exporters converting foreign currency revenues to pay local taxes and oil prices staying near two-week highs.
At 0705 GMT, the rouble was 0.1% stronger against the dollar at 76.57 RUBUTSTN=MCX and was steady at 82.68 versus the euro EURRUBTN=MCX. It was unchanged against the yuan at 11.12 CNYRUBTOM=MCX.
Given the rouble’s relatively modest rise on Monday, as oil prices jumped higher, and with support from month-end taxes set to wear off, the Russian currency will likely weaken at the start of April, possibly touching the 80 mark, said Alor Broker’s head of investment consulting Alexei Antonov.
Brent crude oil LCOc1, a global benchmark for Russia’s main export, was down 0.1% at $78.1 a barrel.
Russian stock indexes were higher.
The dollar-denominated RTS index .IRTS was up 0.9% at 1,010.8 points. The rouble-based MOEX Russian index .IMOEX was 0.7% higher at 2,457.0 points.
For Russian equities guide see RU/EQUITY
For Russian treasury bonds see 0#RUTSY=MM
(Reporting by Alexander Marrow, editing by Christina Fincher)
((alexander.marrow@thomsonreuters.com))
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