Banks selling dollars at morning trade

The active sale of dollars was reported at the Unified Trading Session this morning. As a result, the trade volume reached $140m fifteen minutes after the opening. Experts linked this active sale of dollars to the large-scale sale of export revenues.

Traders noted that the offer of dollars had surpassed demand significantly on Friday already, when the trade volume of deals with settlement on April 7 amounted to more than $500m. However, a fall in the dollar rate on Friday was prevented by the Central Bank. It purchased no less than $400m on the previous trading session, analysts said.

Currency specialists reported in an interview with RBC that the Central Bank was purchasing dollars at this morning's trade as well, thus preventing the strengthening of the ruble. As a result, the weighted average dollar rate remained at RUR 31.28 thirty minutes after the opening.