Why Trump’s new pick for Fed chair hit gold and silver markets – for good reasons 
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Russian equities closed flat on Saturday, with the MOEX Russia Index ending unchanged at 0.00%. Market activity saw mixed performances among major stocks, as gains in financials and metals offset minor losses elsewhere.
Bank VTB PJSC (MCX:VTBR) emerged as the top performer, climbing 2.17% to 82.76. Moskovskaya Birzha PJSC (MCX:MOEX) followed with a 1.84% gain to 177.20, while MMC Norilsk Nickel PJSC (MCX:GMKN) advanced 1.68% to close at 117.30, buoyed by investor sentiment in the mining sector.
Conversely, diamond miner AK ALROSA PJSC (MCX:ALRS) slipped 0.19% to 46.46. Fertilizer giant PhosAgro PJSC (MCX:PHOR) declined 0.16% to 6,247.00, and Moskovskiy Kreditnyi Bank (MCX:CBOM) edged down 0.14% to 7.05.
Overall, advancing stocks outnumbered decliners on the Moscow Exchange, with 124 stocks gaining, 23 losing, and 2 closing flat. The Russian Volatility Index (RVI), tracking implied market volatility via MOEX options, remained unchanged at 30.06.
In commodities, gold futures for August rose 0.39% to $3,358.30 per troy ounce, driven by ongoing global uncertainty. Crude oil prices slipped, with August WTI down 0.30% to $67.34 per barrel, and September Brent declining 0.35% to $69.28, reflecting cautious sentiment in energy markets.
Currency markets showed the ruble weakening, with USD/RUB up 0.85% to 78.71 and EUR/RUB gaining 1.11% to 91.51. Meanwhile, the U.S. Dollar Index futures dropped 0.25% to 98.20, signaling mild pressure on the greenback amid broader market consolidation.
