Russian ruble pauses drop after central bank intervenes

Russia took its biggest step yet to shore up the ruble and defuse the currency crisis threatening its stricken economy.

In a surprise announcement just before 1 a.m. in Moscow, the Russian central bank said it would raise its key interest rate to 17 percent from 10.5 percent, effective today.

The move was the largest single increase since 1998, when Russian rates soared past 100 percent and the government defaulted on debt.

The news prompted an immediate gain in the ruble, with one-month ruble forwards up 1.6 percent in Asian trading.

Yet the announcement, as well as its timing, underscored the financial straits in which Russia now finds itself. If sustained, the new higher rates would squeeze an economy that is already being hurt by sanctions led by the U.S. and European Union, and by a collapse in oil prices. Some analysts said they doubted the economy could withstand such high rates for long.

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