Russian rouble firms to one-week high vs dollar

The Russian rouble strengthened to a one-week high against the dollar on Monday, rising sharply after hitting its weakest mark since mid-August on Friday, as the market turns its attention to a central bank rate decision later this week. Kremlin economic aide Maxim Oreshkin said the rouble's worst days were behind it. The rouble plunging to a near 17-month low in August of 101.75 to the dollar led the central bank to make an emergency 350-basis-point rate hike to 12% on Aug. 15.