Russian stocks closed mixed on Friday in line with major foreign indices amid the unresolved Greek debt crisis, and dashed investors’ hopes for another round of quantitative easing by the U.S.’ Federal Reserve (Fed), analysts said.

The MICEX inched up 0.04% to 1,454.08, while the RTS declined 0.45% to 1,436.39.

“The Russian market retreated as investors tend to take profits at the end of the week. The market opened in the red zone but regained some of its losses by noon. It later edged down on the ongoing uncertainty with Greece’s debts,” Metropol trader Yelena Yakimycheva said.

Zerich Capital Management analyst Oleg Dushin said that comments by non-voting member of the Federal Open Market Committee James Bullard that the protocols of the Fed’s last meeting – which investors had interpreted as a promise of a new round of money printing - were out of date, and most recent data are failing to prove the necessity of the quantitative easing, also hit the market.

At a meeting between German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, Merkel insisted that Greece stick to its promises to stay in the euro zone despite Samaras’ request for an extension of the period to cut budget deficit.

“Investors reacted negatively to the absence of any concrete statements,” Bagiryan added.

The U.S.’ Dow Jones gained 0.22%, while Germany’s DAX edged down 0.04%. Japan’s Nikkei fell 1.17% as of 7.p.m. Moscow time.

Yakimycheva said that the banking sector performed better that the rest of market as investors consider to be a safe haven.

“Banks always mean cash, and funds flow away from the sector more reluctantly than from other industries during difficult economic times,” Yakimycheva said.

Preferred shares of Russia’s largest bank, Sberbank, edged up 0.14%, and quotes of VTB Bank grew 0.18%.

Dmitry Mirensky, RosEvroBank’s chief specialist for brokerage operations, expects a further downward correction of the market next week ahead of statements by major regulators. The Fed’s Chairman Ben Bernanke is to deliver a speech on August 31, and European Central Bank President Mario Draghi is to report on September 1.

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