Central Bank buys $30m at UTS - 17 March, 2003

As a result of this morning's session on US currency the average-weighted dollar exchange rate has grown by RUR0.01. It has been the first gain in US currency since March 5. Specialists of commercial banks point to the fact that the Central Bank has continued supporting the dollar today. At today's special session the Central Bank made a ruble intervention again; it was buying dollars at 31.38 RUR/USD. Analysts say that the volume of purchased US currency was about $30m, which was one third of the total trade volume at the UTS. Some commercial banks also followed the Central Bank's example and started buying dollars more actively at this morning's session, experts stressed.