The Central Bank’s net sale (sale minus purchase) of U.S. dollars dropped 33% in October 2011 to $4.373bn. The net sale of euros was down 16.7% to (EURO)500.48mn, according to the information on the bank’s currency interventions.

September 2011 for the first time saw a net sale of foreign currencies by the Central Bank, which conducted interventions to contain the rouble’s weakening. The net sale of U.S. dollars then equaled $6.766bn against a net purchase in August, and of the euro, (EURO)590.91mn, also against a net purchase.

In August, the Central Bank both purchased and sold currencies on the domestic market for the first time since December 2009. In January-July 2011, it only bought foreign currencies.