MOSCOW: The Russian rouble and stock indexes opened slightly lower on Monday, pressured by lower oil prices and rising geopolitical tensions between Moscow and the West.
At 0720 GMT, the rouble eased 0.2 percent to 63.09 against the dollar and lost 0.3 percent to 69.33 versus the euro.
Fitch Rating's decision to upgrade its outlook on Russia's sovereign debt to "stable" from "negative" should play on the upside for Russian assets. Russian finance minister Anton Siluanov said he was satisfied with the rating move.
The rouble is also widely expected to see some support from a monthly tax payment period that starts on Monday. Export-focused companies usually convert part of their revenues into rouble to meet domestic tax duties.
But support from another tax period should be offset by news on geopolitical tensions and expectations of a rate increase by the U.S. Fed by the end of the year, analysts at Rosbank, Russian branch of Societe Generale, said in a research note.
Earlier this month, Western powers accused Russia of committing atrocities by bombing hospitals, killing civilians and preventing medical evacuations in Syria's largest city Aleppo, as well as targeting an aid convoy with the loss of around 20 lives. Syria and Russia say they are only targeting militants.
Russian stocks nodded lower in early trade, mirroring moves in crude prices.
The dollar-denominated RTS index was down 0.29 percent to 980.13 points, while the rouble-based MICEX was 0.12 percent lower at 1963.95 points.
Brent crude oil, a global benchmark for Russia's main export, was down 0.13 percent at $51.88 a barrel.
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