Russia Stocks Retreat as Crude Oil Falls on U.S. Budget Talks

Russian equities dropped the most this month as oil declined on concern that the deadlock over the U.S. budget will threaten growth in the world’s biggest economy.

The 50-stock Micex Index fell 0.7 percent to 1,477.44 by the close in Moscow, the biggest decline since Nov. 28. The gauge has added 5.4 percent this year and 0.8 percent this week. OAO Pharmstandard, Russia’s largest drugmaker, tumbled as much as 5 percent, while preferred shares of OAO Mechel, the country’s largest coking-coal producer, lost 1.7 percent. Preferred shares of OAO Surgutneftegas declined 1 percent and OAO Uralkali, the largest potash producer by output, retreated