LONDON, August 24. / TASS / The cost of futures contracts for delivery in October Brent crude at Monday’s auction in London ICE exchange dropped 3.9% to $43.72 per barrel, having fallen to its lowest level since March 2009.

Against the backdrop of falling oil prices, the RTS dollar index fell by 5.05% to 723.9 points.

On Monday, the dollar on the Moscow Stock Exchange exceeded 71 rubles, and the euro rose above 81.55 rubles for the first time since December 2014. Thus, the dollar exchange rate at the beginning of Monday's trading on the Moscow stock exchange rose by 2.18 rubles to the level of 71.28 rubles. The euro soared to 3.01 rubles to 81.65 rubles.

At the same time, the euro has updated a maximum of the current year, rising above the level of 81.55 rubles, which was established on January 30, 2015. The euro has not been this expensive since December 15, 2014.