MOSCOW: The Russian rouble firmed against the dollar on Monday in thin trading ahead of public holidays, while stocks rose along with their global peers after the S&P 500 index reached a record high in the United States.
The rouble was 0.4 percent stronger against the dollar at 64.49 by 1300 GMT and was up 0.35 percent against the euro at 72.21.
Artem Zvonarev, a trader at VTB Capital, told Reuters that the rouble received a boost from foreign demand for OFZ bonds that became more visible after the US market opened.
"Investors' attitudes toward emerging market currencies remain the main factor influencing the Russian currency's dynamics," Sberbank Asset Management said in a note.
"But investors' caution ahead of the long May holidays will not allow the rouble to visibly strengthen toward 63 against the dollar."
Trading has waned as the Moscow Exchange will be closed for public holidays on May 1 and May 9 and little market activity is expected between those dates.
This week, the finance ministry will not carry out its regular OFZ treasury bond auctions because of the holidays. High demand for these bonds, which serve as a gauge of market sentiment toward Russian assets, has supported the rouble in the past few weeks.
The rouble hovered near levels seen last Friday after the Russian central bank held its key interest rate at 7.75 percent but signalled it would consider rate cuts later this year.
Oil prices, which usually provide momentum for Russian assets, declined, extending a slump that has ended weeks of gains, but remained above $70 per barrel.
Russian stocks rose after Asian and US markets gained. The dollar-denominated RTS index was up 0.53 percent at 1,253.50 points.
The rouble-based MOEX Russian index was 0.1 percent higher at 2,566.52 points.
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