Markets

Russian rouble recovers as oil prices jump

The Russian rouble strengthened on Friday as oil prices headed for their biggest weekly gain in months. The tr
Published September 20, 2019 Updated September 20, 2019 09:09am
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  • The Russian rouble strengthened on Friday as oil prices headed for their biggest weekly gain in months.
  • The trade war between the U.S. and China returned to focus after the two countries resumed face-to-face talks on Thursday, the first in nearly two months.
  • The rouble was 0.2% stronger against the dollar at 63.84 and up 0.1% to 70.61 versus the euro.

At 0730 GMT, the rouble was 0.2% stronger against the dollar at 63.84 and up 0.1% to 70.61 versus the euro .

Prices for oil, Russia's main export, were on track to rise more than 7% this week, after a Saudi Arabian supply hub was knocked out in an air attack last weekend.

Friday's rises came after a Saudi-led coalition launched a military operation north of Yemen's port city of Hodeidah, as the United States worked to build a coalition against Iran, which it blamed for the Saudi attack.

Brent crude oil was up 0.5% at $64.7 a barrel.

The trade war between the U.S. and China returned to focus after the two countries resumed face-to-face talks on Thursday, the first in nearly two months .

"In general, risk appetite in global markets can be described as mixed," said Mikhail Poddubsky, an analyst at Promsvyazbank.

The dollar-denominated RTS index was down 0.3% to 1,374 points. The rouble-based MOEX Russian index was 0.4% lower at 2,783 points.