The rouble weakened to 130.9338 to the dollar after closing at 121.037 on Friday, according to Refinitiv data.Trading on the Moscow exchange MOEX is scheduled to be closed until Wednesday for a bank holiday. Stocks last traded on February 25 on Moscow's bourse.
The rouble has lost more than 40% its value against the greenback since the start of the year with losses sharply accelerating since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, which sparking sweeping sanctions from Western capitals, isolating the country from international financial markets. "It has become very difficult to trade the rouble after the sanctions," said Aaron Hurd, senior portfolio manager, currency at State Street Global Advisors."Liquidity has vanished and markets have become very volatile."The rouble's collapse has also hit trading volumes. Turnover on the Russian currency on EBS fell more than 80% on Friday compared to the end of February.