Stock Markets April 28, 2026 05:20 PM

Moscow Stocks Slip; MOEX Russia Index Drops to Three-Month Low

Mining, power and oil and gas names weigh on the market as select large caps post steep declines

By Priya Menon
Moscow Stocks Slip; MOEX Russia Index Drops to Three-Month Low

Russia's main share index closed lower on Tuesday, with losses driven by the Mining, Power and Oil & Gas sectors. The MOEX Russia Index fell 1.27% to a fresh three-month low as a broad number of stocks lost ground. Several major components recorded notable declines while a small group of names finished higher or unchanged. Volatility on the MOEX options gauge eased slightly, and commodities and FX markets showed mixed moves at the close.

Key Points

  • MOEX Russia Index fell 1.27%, closing at a new three-month low.
  • Sectors leading declines were Mining, Power and Oil & Gas; breadth was negative with 227 decliners versus 21 advancers.
  • Major moves included Magnit PJSC down 5.12% to 2,565.50 and Polyus PJSC down 3.88% to 2,163.60; Surgutneftegas Pref and PIK posted small gains.

Russia's equity market ended Tuesday's session in negative territory, with sector-wide declines in Mining, Power and Oil & Gas contributing to the drop. The MOEX Russia Index closed down 1.27%, finishing at a new three-month low.


Market movers

Among the best performers on the MOEX Russia Index were Surgutneftegas PJSC Pref (MCX:SNGS_p), which rose 0.34% or 0.15 points to finish at 42.87, and PIK SHb PJSC (MCX:PIKK), which added 0.11% or 0.60 points to close at 535.50. GDR ROS AGRO PLC ORD SHS (MCX:AGRODR) ended the session unchanged - 0.00% or 0.00 points - at 1,083.80 in late trade.

The heaviest declines were concentrated in several large-cap names. Magnit PJSC (MCX:MGNT) dropped 5.12% or 138.50 points to close at 2,565.50, Polyus PJSC (MCX:PLZL) fell 3.88% or 87.40 points to 2,163.60, and ROSSETI PJSC (MCX:FEES) was 3.70% or 0.00 points to 0.07.

Breadth on the Moscow exchange was decisively negative: falling issues outnumbered advancers by 227 to 21, while 3 stocks finished unchanged.


Notable price milestones

Shares of Magnit PJSC (MCX:MGNT) moved to five-year lows as they fell 5.12% or 138.50 points to 2,565.50. GDR ROS AGRO PLC ORD SHS (MCX:AGRODR) was unchanged at 1,083.80, a level identified in the session as a 52-week low.


Volatility and related markets

The Russian Volatility Index - RVI, which tracks implied volatility in options on the MOEX Russia Index, eased 0.18% to 22.67.

Commodities showed mixed moves at the close. Gold futures for June delivery fell 1.80% or 84.35 to $4,609.35 a troy ounce. Crude oil for June delivery rose 3.37% or 3.25 to $99.62 a barrel, while the July Brent contract slipped 0.01% or 0.01 to $104.25 a barrel.

In currency trading, USD/RUB was unchanged at 75.16 and EUR/RUB was unchanged at 88.04. The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.16% at 98.48.


Takeaway

The session closed with broad selling pressure that pushed the MOEX Russia Index to a three-month low, led by losses in resource and power-related sectors. A small group of stocks bucked the trend with modest gains or flat performances, while volatility as measured by the RVI inched lower.

Risks

  • Continued weakness in Mining, Power and Oil & Gas stocks could keep overall market pressure elevated - this impacts commodity-linked sectors and energy-related firms.
  • Large-cap declines hitting multi-year lows for individual names introduce uncertainty for investors focused on retail and agricultural equities, as shown by Magnit PJSC falling to five-year lows and GDR ROS AGRO at 52-week lows.
  • Volatility, while slightly lower by the RVI measure, may remain a source of market uncertainty if commodity or FX conditions shift - relevant to traders in options and commodity-linked equities.

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