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Russian stock indices decline as trading closes on Thursday

The dollar-to-ruble rate decreased by 0.24% closing at 95.91 rubles, the euro rate fell by 1.17% to 101.85 rubles

MOSCOW, September 21. /TASS/. The Russian stock indices declined on Thursday amid the ruble's tendency to strengthen and worsening market sentiment.

At the end of the day, the MOEX index fell by 1.59% to 3,019.22 points, and the dollar denominated RTS index dropped by 1.44% to 988.12 points.

The dollar-to-ruble rate decreased by 0.24% closing at 95.91 rubles, the euro rate fell by 1.17% to 101.85 rubles, the yuan edged down by 0.05% to 13.11 rubles.

The geopolitical background also remained tense. In turn, the key rate in the United States was kept at 5.25-5.5%, but the Fed leaves room for a new rate increase in 2023.

"The results of the meeting caused a wave of decline on Western markets. Metal prices decreased. At the same time, oil price turned to the positive and reached $94 per barrel Brent," said investment strategist at BCS World of Investments Alexander Bakhtin.

On Thursday, the leaders of growth were the shares of En+ Group (+4.4%), Qiwi (+3.42%), Unipro (+2.97%), Seligdar (+2.66%), Moscow Exchange (+0.94%), NLMK (+0.63%), Rusal (+0.49%).

The leaders of the decline were shares of Detsky Mir (-7.28%), Polymetal (-6.71%), NCSP (-5.46%), LSR (-5%), Fix Price receipts (-4.63%), Rosneft (-3.62%), Alrosa (-2.63%).

According to a forecast by BCS World of Investments, on Friday, the MOEX index will be in the range of 2,985 - 3,105 points, the ruble to dollar exchange rate will be 94-97 rubles.

According to Freedom Finance Global's expectations, tomorrow the MOEX index will again move in the corridor of 3,000-3,100 points, the dollar-to-ruble rate will be in the range of 95-97 rubles, the euro-to-ruble will be in the corridor of 102-104 rubles, the yuan-to-ruble rate will be in the range of 12.9-13.3 rubles.

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