MOSCOW, September 29. /TASS/. By the end of the main trading session the MOEX Index fell 1.54% to 2,684.09 points, while the dollar-denominated RTS Index fell 0.65% to 1,020.36 points. The yuan fell 5 kopecks to 11.54 rubles.

"The MOEX Index’ dynamics was mixed at the start of the week. The benchmark sought to hold above 2,700 points. Oil prices began to decline sharply, with Brent losing more than 2% amid the end of the peak driving season in the US and expectations of further expansion of OPEC+ quotas," noted Alexander Shepelev, an equity market expert at BCS World of Investments.

"The leading gainer on the stock market was gold miner Polyus (+3%), most likely due to expected VAT exemptions on ore sales by mining companies to refineries," said Natalia Milchakova, leading analyst at Freedom Finance Global.

She noted that the leaders of decline were shares of the high-tech Pozitiv Group (-4.3%), possibly due to a correction after last week's gains.

The BCS World of Investments forecast for the ruble exchange rate on Tuesday is 82.5-85.5 rubles per US dollar and 11.5-11.8 rubles per Chinese yuan. The MOEX Index forecast for September 30 is 2,765-2,775 points.

Freedom Finance Global expects the MOEX Index to fluctuate between 2,700 and 2,800 points on September 30. The forecast for the dollar, euro, and yuan against the ruble is 81-83 rubles, 96-98 rubles, and 11.5-11.9 rubles, respectively.