MOSCOW: The Russian rouble was steady on Monday amid higher oil prices and lingering uncertainty about US sanctions, while stocks rose to fresh record highs.
The rouble was little changed at 65.55 versus the dollar as of 0727 GMT, trading at a distance from its weakest level since April 2016 of 70.60 it hit last month amid intensified concerns about new US sanctions.
"The sanctions-related risk premium is still there but higher oil prices are playing on the rouble's side," said a dealer at a major Russian bank in Moscow.
Versus the euro, the rouble gained 0.2 percent to 75.95 , hovering at levels last seen in mid-August.
Russian assets felt support from a recent increase in prices for oil, the country's chief exports.
Brent crude oil prices rose to their highest since November 2014 ahead of US sanctions against Iran, the third-largest producer in the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), that kick in next month.
The rouble-based MOEX stock index was 0.6 percent higher at 2,490.9 points after briefly hitting a record high of 2,493.03. Its dollar-denominated peer RTS was up 0.3 percent to 1,196.1 points.
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