The rouble strengthened to a near two-week high against the dollar on Wednesday as a favourable month-end tax period drew to a close, with capital controls and high interest rates continuing to buttress the Russian currency. The rouble has recovered ground since being hampered by sanctions risk last week. It has been helped in part by the tax period, which usually sees exporters convert foreign currency revenues to pay local liabilities, and also has other fundamental factors playing in its favour.