The US intention to expand economic sanctions against Russia affected the ruble exchange rate - it becomes noticeably weaker relative to the dollar. The main reason is specific anti-Russian measures. In the US Senate, they are trying to push not only personal restrictions against a number of officials from the Russian Federation and some energy companies, but also a ban on the purchase of new issues of the Russian national debt for non-residents. In fact, everything can be not so scary, says financial analyst of BCS Premier Alexander Taraskin. If sanctions are limited only to new issues of the Russian national debt, panic selling of national OFZ will be avoided, he said in an interview with "Rossiyskaya Gazeta". According to the Central Bank at the beginning of the second half of the year, in the hands of non-residents is OFZ RF for the amount of 1.98 trillion rubles.

However, since April this figure is already declining, as talks about sanctions against the Russian national debt in the US are conducted since the spring. But now the situation is worse in the sense that the bill has been submitted to the Senate, but it will not be considered until September, as the US legislators went on vacation. Uncertainty will prevail over the financial market, so the ruble will continue to surrender positions. The official rate of the dollar, set by the CBR on August 4, is 63.45 rubles.