1) Russia to sell gas in rubles to unfriendly countries
President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that Russia will seek gas payment in Russian rubles for unfriendly countries, implying those that sanction gas imports from Moscow such as the European countries.
European nations and the United States of America have imposed sanctions on Russia gas and oil since the Kremlin’s “special operation” in Ukraine on February 24, 2022.
2) Russian stock market to resume trading on Thursday
The Russian central bank said that some stock market trading would resume trading on Thursday after a temporary pause for nearly one month. 33 securities would be traded on the Moscow Exchange for a limited time and with short selling banned, including some of the biggest companies such as Gazprom PJSC and Sberbank PJSC, between 9:50 a.m. and 2 p.m. local time.
3) Europe to nod on AstraZeneca’s preventive Covid shot this week
Europe’s drug regulator is expected to give a greenlight this week for AstraZeneca’s antibody-based injection for preventing Covid-19 infections, following U.S. and UK approvals, according to people familiar with the matter.
The shot is designed for adults whose immune system is too weak to respond to vaccines.
4) Russia is halting 1.4 million barrels of oil exports
Major oil exports from a crucial pipeline on Russia’s Black Sea coast were fully halted on Wednesday, sending crude prices higher amid fear of supply disruption as European countries are pushing more pressure on Russia’s war against Ukraine.
The Caspian Pipeline Consortium said on Wednesday that it was shutting down all three units used to load oil from the more-than-1,500km artery onto tankers, citing storm damage. The closure will halt the export of 1.4mn barrels a day.
