Russian stock indices decline as trading on Moscow Exchange closes

MOSCOW, August 17. /TASS/. The ruble-denominated MOEX Index fell 2.04% to close at 2,092.77 points on Monday, while the dollar-denominated RTS Index dropped 2.58% to 775.48 points. The Chinese yuan edged up by 7 kopecks to 12.61 rubles.

"The MOEX Index extended its decline at the start of the week, though the pace slowed as a battle emerged for the critical 2,100-point threshold. The external backdrop turned less favorable," noted Andrey Smirnov, a stock market expert at BCS World of Investments.

Novabev Group shares (+1.5%) led the gainers, likely driven by anticipation of strong Q2 2026 IFRS financial results, according to Natalia Milchakova, leading analyst at Freedom Global.

Conversely, GTM shares (-12.1%) led the decliners. Milchakova suggested the stock faced intense pressure after an arbitration court accepted a bankruptcy petition against the company.

Analysts at BCS World of Investments point out that if the MOEX Index manages to consolidate around 2,100 points, it will serve as a positive signal. Barring new negative drivers, they project a technical rebound targeting 2,150-2,160 points, though a deeper slide toward 2,000 points remains possible. As for the Russian currency, BCS expects the ruble to stabilize, with potential short-term gains toward 82-84 per US dollar and 12.3-12.5 per yuan.

Freedom Global expects the MOEX Index to trade within a 2,000-2,100 range on Tuesday. Their exchange rate forecasts stand at 84-86 rubles per dollar, 97-99 rubles per euro, and 12.3-12.7 rubles per yuan.