Unknown investor shakes Gazprom's stocks amid US‑Russia talks
An unknown investor sold a package of Gazprom shares worth approximately 170,000 CAD on the Moscow stock exchange during a phone negotiation between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump. Meanwhile, the Russian stock exchange experienced a significant downturn on Thursday, and the ruble also lost value.
According to the Moscow Times, the mysterious investor began selling shares at 10:17 AM Eastern Time, about an hour after the leaders' conversation started. In less than a minute, they sold the package worth around 100,000 CAD, temporarily reducing Gazprom's stock by 3.3 percent—from 173.1 to 167.5 rubles per share. Shortly after, the price rebounded to 172.1 rubles.
A similar scenario unfolded at 11:45 AM Eastern Time, fifteen minutes after the negotiations concluded. Another sale of shares in the Russian gas giant, worth about 70,000 CAD, caused a momentary dip in the trades by 2.6 percent—from 173.5 to 169 rubles per share.
Results of the talks and market reaction
After the talks ended, the Kremlin announced that Russia and Ukraine agreed to mutually cease attacks on energy facilities. However, the Russian authorities emphasized that for a complete ceasefire, as Trump proposed, it is necessary to "completely halt foreign military aid and intelligence sharing for Kyiv" and stop the mobilization and rearming of Ukrainian armed forces.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated shortly after the negotiations that his country supports a 30-day cessation of attacks on energy infrastructure. However, he added that "despite declarations of peace, Putin is preparing offensive actions in the Zaporizhzhia direction, in the east, as well as in the Kharkiv and Sumy directions, to issue an ultimatum from a position of strength."
Russian stock exchange loses, ruble declines
Following the meetings between Russia's and the USA's leaders, stocks on the Moscow stock exchange began to lose value. At 3:31 PM Eastern Time, Gazprom's shares dropped 2.54 percent, VTB 2.6 percent, Rosneft 0.8 percent, Sberbank 0.5 percent, Norilsk Nickel 1.5 percent, and Rostelecom 1.6 percent.
On Wednesday, the Russian stock market MOEX experienced notable declines. Most companies listed on the Moscow exchange saw a decrease in value, with the steepest falls recorded by KubanEnergy (-5.47 percent), Kazan Syntheses (-1.70 percent), and Rusolovo Pao (-1.65 percent). Crucial companies like Alrosa (-1.58 percent), Gazprom (-0.86 percent), and Rosneft (-0.77 percent) also posted losses. Over 40 companies ended up in the red, although around a dozen entities showed gains, including Rosseti Sibir' (4.12 percent) and RKK Energiya (5.03 percent). The declines impacted nearly all sectors of the economy, particularly affecting energy, metallurgy, and the financial industry.
The ruble also saw a shift in exchange rate. On Thursday, the Russian currency lost over 1 percent against the dollar, reversing Wednesday's trend of strong gain. The change in value against the dollar exceeded 2.5 percent.
