MOSCOW: The Russian rouble opened weaker on Friday despite stronger oil prices as the US dollar continued to feel a support from the Federal Reserve signals interest rates have further to climb.

At 0724 GMT, the rouble was 0.07 percent weaker against the dollar at 65.8625 and had gained 0.15 percent to trade at 75.3125 versus the euro.

Minutes of the Federal Reserve's latest meeting showed every Fed policymaker backed raising interest rates last month and also generally agreed that borrowing costs were set to rise further.

Brent crude oil, a global benchmark for Russia's main export, was up 0.38 percent at $79.59 a barrel.

Russian stock indexes were down.

The dollar-denominated RTS index was down 0.35 percent to 1,136.25 points. The rouble-based MOEX Russian index was 0.2 percent lower at 2,374.08 points.

Shares of Russian internet group Yandex were down by 7 percent on Friday, extending losses after reports that Sberbank, Russia's top bank, is seeking to buy a stake in the company.

 

Copyright Reuters, 2018

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