MOSCOW: The Russian rouble was little changed early on Monday, and public holidays on Western markets meant trading was likely to be thinner than usual.
At 0728 GMT, the rouble was less than 0.1 percent stronger against the dollar at 66.11 and flat at 73.52 versus the euro.
The rouble held its ground despite comments by U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen increasing the likelihood of a near-term U.S. interest rate hike, boosting the dollar and pressuring oil prices.
Brent crude oil, a global benchmark for Russia's main export, was down 0.5 percent at around $49.1 a barrel.
"Oil price dynamics and the rhetoric of the U.S. Fed remain the key drivers for the rouble," Rosbank analysts said in a note.
Dmitry Polevoy at ING Bank said market attention this week would be pinned on U.S. data for more clues as to the Fed's interest rate trajectory.
Trading volumes are expected to be lower on Monday as the United States marks Memorial Day, while British markets are also shuttered.
The Russian currency has traded around current levels for several weeks after strong gains earlier in the year fuelled by a recovery in crude prices.
When the rouble has strengthened to under 65 roubles per dollar, it has failed to hold those gains.
Russian share indexes were slightly higher on Monday.
The dollar-denominated RTS index was up 0.5 percent to 921 points, while the rouble-based MICEX was 0.4 percent higher at 1,934 points.
Shares in Russia's largest bank Sberbank continued to strengthen, adding 1.1 percent and briefly hitting a new record high.
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