The ruble weakened on its last trading day of 2015, extending its third annual slide as the plunging price of oil dimmed the outlook for a recovery in the Russian economy. The currency fell 1.7 percent to 73.42 against the dollar by 6:30 p.m. in Moscow, bringing its loss in the past 12 months to almost 20 percent. Brent crude, used to price the nation’s main export blend, slumped below $37 a barrel. Data on Wednesday showed a gauge of Russian manufacturing slid back into territory that signals a decline in economic activity, casting doubt on how quickly the energy exporter will be able to pull itself out of its worst recession since 2009. Ruble has lost almost 60% of value in past three years While the ruble has been falling, it isn’t keeping up pace with the drop in oil prices, thereby hindering state revenue as the government […]