1.   Further steep slides seemed inevitable as the central bank, dangerously low on hard-currency reserves, announced it could no longer afford to protect the ruble.

2.   It also placed new rules on commercial banks which restricts currency trading, designed to protect the ruble.

3.   Jitters over the political crisis in Indonesia have sent stock and bond prices tumbling, and the government has had to raise interest rates to protect the ruble.

4.   The government still must secure hefty loans from the West and take other measures to protect the ruble and avert an Asian-style economic breakdown, they said.

5.   The prime focus Thursday was on a Central Bank announcement made Wednesday evening of new rules to increase bank liquidity and to protect the ruble.