Rouble, stocks down as oil falls again; OFZ bond auctions in focus

• The rouble was down 0.8pc against the dollar at 73.55, after gaining steadily since late March as it recovered from four-year lows reached last month.
• The Russian finance ministry will hold two auctions of OFZ treasury bonds, popular among foreign investors, before the central bank's rate-setting meeting later this month.

MOSCOW: The Russian rouble weakened early on Wednesday, dragged down by falling oil prices and concerns about the coronavirus outbreak, as investors awaited treasury bond auctions by the finance ministry.

At 0733 GMT, the rouble was down 0.8pc against the dollar at 73.55, after gaining steadily since late March as it recovered from four-year lows reached last month.

Versus the euro, the rouble fell 0.5pc to 80.54 from 70 to 72, where it had traded before the latest sell-off began during a crash in oil prices in early March.

The Russian finance ministry will hold two auctions of OFZ treasury bonds, popular among foreign investors, before the central bank's rate-setting meeting later this month.

Central Bank Governor Elvira Nabiullina said the bank's board will consider a rate cut at the next meeting, on April 24.

A rate cut would drive OFZ yields lower, which will push their prices higher, suggesting investors may be interested in buying the bonds before such a rate move.

"We expect the results of the placements to be more impressive (than last week). But the exact amount of the fundraising still depends on the premium that the ministry is ready to provide," ITI Capital said.

The novel coronavirus remained a threat, as Russia reported another daily record rise in the number of cases, bringing its nationwide total to 24,490 and the number of deaths to 198.

To prevent the virus from spreading, Moscow authorities introduced travel permits, fuelling fears that the state was using the epidemic to tighten its surveillance of citizens.

Brent crude oil, a global benchmark for Russia's main export, was down 1.5pc at $29.16 a barrel amid persistent worries about oversupply, as the International Monetary Fund warned of a deep worldwide recession.

Russian stocks tracked oil prices lower. The dollar-denominated RTS index was down 2.5 to 1,105.3 points. The rouble-based MOEX Russian index shed 2pc to 2,578.0 points.

The RTS index is likely to consolidate around 1,100 as the market watches the recently started corporate earnings season in the United States, Olma brokerage said.