On the Moscow Stock Exchange, the dollar exchange rate dipped below 91 rubles on May 15, marking its lowest level since May 7. This trend is reflected in the trading data posted by the exchange itself.
By 16:29 Moscow time, the dollar had fallen 0.32 percent to 90.99 rubles. At 16:41 Moscow time, the decline in the US currency eased to 0.11 percent, with quotes around 91.19 rubles. In the same window, the euro immediately weakened to 98.62 euros per ruble, down 0.08 percent, before recovering to 99 rubles per euro by 16:41.
The Chinese yuan briefly touched a local low near 12.56 but managed to reclaim the 12.6 level within minutes, erasing those losses shortly after.
Earlier, the Central Bank noted in its Financial Market Risk Analysis that a softer demand for foreign currency from banks and households in April helped the ruble strengthen. Banks and citizens reduced purchases of foreign currency, while exporters increased their sales by about 2 percent, reaching $13.2 billion, according to the regulator. The average daily sales volume slid 3 percent to $628 million.
In the bank’s assessment, these dynamics combined with a tight monetary policy supported the ruble, which appreciated against the dollar and weakened by only about 0.6 percent over the month.
Meanwhile, in Europe new reviews of forecasts for the Russian economy appeared amid a surge in defense sector activity. The market watched developments closely as investors weighed the implications for policy and growth in the near term.
Earlier updates from the RTS directory highlighted the September 2022 peak as a reference point, with traders considering how recent shifts might compare to historical highs and the policy path ahead. These data points are used by traders and analysts to gauge risk, liquidity, and the likely pace of currency moves in the coming sessions.