MOSCOW: The Russian rouble fell against the dollar early on Monday but was little changed against the euro, as the U.S. currency was lifted by news presidential candidate Hillary Clinton would not face criminal charges over her use of a private e-mail server.
At 0730 GMT, the rouble was 0.6 percent weaker against the dollar at 63.94 and had lost less than 0.1 percent to trade at 70.72 versus the euro.
The dollar index, which tracks the U.S. currency against a basket of major peers, rose by almost 0.6 percent after the FBI said no criminal charges were warranted against Clinton for using a private email server for government work.
Markets have tended to see Democrat Clinton as the status quo candidate in the U.S. presidential election on Nov. 8.
News favouring Clinton's bid often boosts risk appetite, whereas the stance taken by her Republican rival Donald Trump on foreign policy, trade and immigration issues is seen as posing potential risks for global growth.
Asian stocks were also boosted by the Clinton news, while safe-haven gold and bonds slipped.
Russian shares opened little changed following a three-day holiday weekend, and analysts said investors would probably remain cautious until there was more clarity on the outcome of the U.S. vote.
"Investors in risky assets will observe caution at least until the results of the presidential election in the U.S. appear," Mark Bradford at BCS brokerage said in a note.
"The results of the voting will have a direct influence on relations between Russia and the West and will contribute to uncertainty and tension in the longer term."
Russia's dollar-denominated RTS index was down 0.3 percent to 968 points, while the rouble-based MICEX was 0.1 percent higher at 1,965 points.
Brent crude oil, a global benchmark for Russia's main export, was up 1.2 percent at $46.1 a barrel on Monday as OPEC said it was committed to a deal to cut output in order to prop up the market.
Doubts over that deal had caused oil prices to drop last week.
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