The Central Bank of the Russian Federation, or the Bank of Russia, is again having to deal with currency volatility. While it tries to keep its economy from sliding further at the same time it tries to keep inflation from getting out of control, the central bank has suspended daily purchases of U.S. dollar and foreign currency reserves.
The move is after the ruble went above 67 euro and above 60 on the US dollar. It was not so long ago, later in 2014, that the Bank of Russia threw in the towel on trying to defend the ruble and let its currency float. It was in mid-May that the Bank of Russia resumed currency buying to bring its foreign-exchange reserves and gold reserves back up.
Efforts to stave off that decline were rather costly, although the ruble did ultimately improve handily from its lows. More recently, the slide in oil and the slide in gold have not been welcoming economic events for Russia.
Russia’s Information Notice on suspending operations to replenish international reserves said verbatim:
On 28 July 2015, the Bank of Russia suspended operations to replenish international reserves due to increased volatility in the domestic FX market.
The Market Vectors Russia ETF (NYSEMKT: RSX) was actually up 3% at $17.31 in mid-afternoon trading on Wednesday. Its 52-week range is $12.50 to $25.52. Van Eck’s website shows that the Market Vectors Russia ETF has roughly $1.9 billion in its total net assets.
Then there is the Templeton Russia and East European Fund, Inc. (NYSE: TRF) up almost 1% at $10.59. This is much thinner in volume, has only about $58 million in assets, and trades with a discount of 3.4% to its net asset value.
ALSO READ: Why S&P’s Junk Bond Threat to Brazil May Be Good
The #1 Thing to Do Before You Claim Social Security (Sponsor)
Choosing the right (or wrong) time to claim Social Security can dramatically change your retirement. So, before making one of the biggest decisions of your financial life, it’s a smart idea to get an extra set of eyes on your complete financial situation.
A financial advisor can help you decide the right Social Security option for you and your family. Finding a qualified financial advisor doesn’t have to be hard. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with up to three financial advisors who serve your area, and you can interview your advisor matches at no cost to decide which one is right for you.
Click here to match with up to 3 financial pros who would be excited to help you optimize your Social Security outcomes.
Have questions about retirement or personal finance? Email us at [email protected]!
By emailing your questions to 24/7 Wall St., you agree to have them published anonymously on a673b.bigscoots-temp.com.
By submitting your story, you understand and agree that we may use your story, or versions of it, in all media and platforms, including via third parties.
Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.