Moscow, March 1, 2026, 11:38 MSK — Regular session
- Shares of Moscow Exchange edged up 0.2% in weekend trading, getting a lift from oil prices after new strikes in the Middle East.
- Traders are watching out for MOEX’s February volume update, due March 2, eyeing fresh signals on fee momentum as March gets underway.
- OPEC+ output negotiations loom, and Russia’s March 20 rate call sits out there as another major risk signal.
Shares of Moscow Exchange ticked up 0.2% to 183.88 roubles in weekend trading as of 11:38 MSK on Sunday, according to data.
The exchange now holds an extra weekend session, leaving a portion of trading active on both Saturdays and Sundays. Liquidity tends to drop off compared to the usual weekday hours.
Oil’s back at the center of everything. Tensions flaring between the United States, Israel and Iran have investors uneasy, watching for knock-on effects in Russian energy stocks and the rouble.
Strikes and retaliation have rattled oil markets, drawing attention to the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz—vital for world crude flows. Reuters said Brent traded near $70 a barrel during the initial swings.
Russian stocks could see their next jolt sooner rather than later. OPEC+ is set to gather this Sunday, and sources told Reuters the group might weigh a bigger production hike than markets had counted on, following a sharp price jump triggered by supply concerns.
Back in Moscow, MOEX will release its February trading volume numbers on March 2. Investors are also watching for the full-year IFRS results, with the call still slated for March, according to the company’s events calendar.
Stocks climbed, leaving the MOEX Russia Index at 2,799.14 at the Feb. 27 close, up 0.49% for the session, according to historical data.
Weekend action stayed subdued, though oil names grabbed attention. The MOEX Russia Index closed nearly unchanged Saturday; Tatneft and Lukoil stood out among top gainers, according to Investing.com.
Index reshuffling is making waves too. Moscow Exchange, in its latest quarterly review, said Lenta will join the MOEX Russia Index and RTS Index starting March 20. Other tweaks to the indices and free float adjustments are also lined up. (Free float refers to shares available for trading.)
Rates aren’t front and center, yet they’re shaping flows behind the scenes. The Bank of Russia’s next key rate decision lands on March 20, according to its official calendar. On Feb. 13, policymakers trimmed the benchmark to 15.50%.
Still, the week could swing the other way. Should tensions in the Middle East ease soon, or OPEC+ hint at stricter supply controls, oil’s rally might fade. That would likely chip away at energy stocks — and chip into the volatility that usually boosts exchange turnover.
MOEX’s February volumes drop first—watch for those on Monday, March 2. Then, traders pivot to the OPEC+ decision, while the March 20 cluster looms: a central bank rate announcement set to land just as index changes take effect.
