The Russian Rouble Remains Flat as Trump Takes Office
The Russian rouble remained steady against the US dollar on Tuesday, with no major Russia-related news emerging on the first day of Donald Trump’s presidency. The currency traded at 100.75 to the dollar by 0845 GMT, according to over-the-counter market data.
The rouble has strengthened by 0.8% to 13.72 against the US dollar in trading on the Moscow Stock Exchange (MOEX), with analysts from the Bank of St. Petersburg noting that the geopolitical factor does not yet have a direct influence on the Russian foreign exchange market.
The rouble has been supported by increased forex sales by the state and stronger prices for oil, Russia’s main export commodity, which offset the impact of the US energy sanctions imposed on January 10. One-day rouble/dollar futures, which trade on MOEX and are a guide for the over-the-counter exchange rate, were down 0.4% at 101.73.
The Russian central bank set the official exchange rate at 101.96. Despite the initial slump, the rouble has strengthened by about 10% since the start of the year, making it the best-performing currency across emerging markets in 2025.