MOSCOW, August 23. /TASS/. Russian market indices ended the trading session on Wednesday with a downward trend, according to market data.

By the end of trading on the Moscow Exchange, the MOEX fell by 0.57% to 3,146.20 points, the dollar-denominated RTS index dropped by 0.61% to 1,051.15 points.

The dollar-to-ruble rate fell by 0.04% closing at 94.26 rubles, the euro rate rose by 0.15% to 102.52 rubles, the yuan rate increased by 0.01% to 12.89 rubles.

"The decline was frontal. Among the reasons for such dynamics are the strengthening of the ruble, the weakness of the external background and the decline in oil prices," said Alexander Bakhtin, investment strategist at BCS Mir Investments.

On Wednesday, shares of Headhunter.ru group were the leader of growth (+7.3%), while shares of Gazprom Neft (-2.5%) were the leaders of the decline ahead of the publication of financial results under IFRS for the first half of 2023, said Natalya Milchakova, a leading analyst at Freedom Finance Global.

According to BCS Mir Investments, on Thursday, August 24, the MOEX index will vary between 3,085 and 3205 points, the dollar-to-ruble rate will fluctuate between 92-95 rubles. Freedom Finance Global expects that tomorrow the MOEX index will move in the corridor of 3,100-3,200 points, the dollar-to-rube rate will fluctuate in the range of 93-95 rubles, the euro-to-ruble rate will vary between 101and 103 rubles, the yuan-to-ruble pair will move in the corridor 12.5-13.1 rubles.