Russian rouble weakens ahead of expected key rate hike
MOSCOW, July 26 (Reuters) -The Russian rouble was flat against the dollar on Friday, ahead of the central bank's rate decision, after strengthening in three consecutive trading sessions this week, helped by foreign currency sales by exporting companies.
By 0730 GMT, the rouble was 0.4% lower at 85.35 RUB= against the dollar.
Russia's central bank is set to raise its key interest rate by 200 basis points at a Friday board meeting, according to a Reuters poll, as it struggles to contain inflation, fuelled by state spending and lending growth.
Trading in major currencies shifted to the over-the-counter market, obscuring the pricing data, after Western sanctions on the Moscow Exchange MOEX.MM and its clearing agent, the National Clearing Centre, were introduced on July 12.
Russian exporters increased their foreign currency sales ahead of corporate tax payments due on July 29. These sales are supporting the Russian currency.
Against the yuan, which had already become the most traded foreign currency in Moscow before the latest sanctions were imposed, the rouble firmed 0.6% to 11.69, according to an analysis of the OTC market.
It was down 0.3% at 92.50 against the euro EURRUB=.
Brent crude oil LCOc1, a global benchmark for Russia's main export, was down 0.1% at $82.34 a barrel due to weak demand in China, the world's largest crude importer.
Reporting by Gleb Bryanski; Editing by Sharon Singleton
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