Russian stocks fell on Friday in their second day of trading after a near month-long suspension, with losses led by flag carrier Aeroflot, which has lost more than a quarter of its value over two days to plunge to its lowest since 2009.
Commodity stocks led a resurgent market on Thursday, many making double-digit gains, but securities slid lower across the board on Friday. The benchmark MOEX stock index closed 3.7% lower at 2,484.13 points. It had closed 4.4% higher on Thursday.
The dollar-denominated RTS index fell 2.7% to 829.6 points.
Prior to Thursday, stocks had not traded on Moscow’s bourse since Feb. 25, the day after Russian President Vladimir Putin sent thousands of troops into neighbouring Ukraine.
The move prompted Western sanctions aimed at isolating Russia economically, and Russian countermeasures.
On Friday more securities, including corporate bonds and Eurobonds, were being traded in another short session, and restrictions on trading by foreigners alongside a ban on short selling remained.
Airline Aeroflot dropped 18.2% to its weakest point since early 2009, adding to Thursday’s 16% loss. State lenders Sberbank and VTB also fell 3.5% and 7.9% respectively.
Oil major Rosneft and mining giant Nornickel were exceptions, gaining 1.4% and 0.4%.
