The Russian stock market is expected to close in negative territory today, experts told RBC TV. The anticipated release of statistics from foreign markets may result in sell-offs on Russian trading floors, analysts say. On the whole, experts point out that trading activity is low today as traders await the publication of US labor and real estate data. Meanwhile, analysts believe that Russian stocks will rise considerably by the end of 2008. In particular, the telecommunications and power sectors look very attractive at the moment, according to experts.

      As of 2:18 p.m., the MICEX index was down 0.74 percent at 1,591.14 points and the RTS index was down 1.17 percent at 2,087.5 points. Among the top losers on MICEX were Gazprom (down 2.26 percent), LUKoil (down 2.1 percent), Rosneft (down 2.3 percent). At the same time, Rostelecom climbed 2.55 percent and VTB rose 1.5 percent. On the RTS, Severstal dropped 4.56 percent, Gazprom fell 2.43 percent, and LUKoil decreased 2.13 percent.