MOSCOW: The rouble extended the week’s losses on Friday, slumping to fresh lows against the dollar, euro and yuan as the Russian currency traded without the support of a favourable month-end tax period and under pressure from an upcoming oil price cap.
By 1207 GMT, the rouble was 0.7% weaker against the dollar at 61.90, its weakest mark since Nov. 7.
It had lost 0.8% to trade at 64.99 versus the euro , at its weakest since July 7, and had shed 1% against the yuan to 8.81, slipping to its weakest since mid-October.
While the Chinese yuan has been making gradual inroads into Russia for years, the crawl has turned into a sprint in the past nine months as the currency swept into the country’s markets and trade flows, according to a Reuters review of data and interviews with 10 business and finance players.
The rouble has now lost support from a favourable month-end tax period that usually sees Russian exporters convert foreign currency revenues into roubles to pay local liabilities.
“In addition, the national currency is under pressure from news on the EU’s oil price ceiling,” said Evgeniy Linchik of First Asset Management.
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