FACTBOX: Key moves in Russian ruble exchange rate

MOSCOW (Reuters) - The Russian central bank widened the ruble trading band for the seventh time in December on Wednesday, and for the 10th time since it embarked on a path of controlled currency devaluation in mid-November.

The ruble has now lost more than 15 percent versus the euro-dollar basket from its historic peak, set just before a war with Georgia in August combined with a global rout in emerging markets to trigger capital flight from Russia.

Following are key facts on the ruble and central bank intervention.

BASKET

Russia's central bank introduced a euro/dollar basket for tracking the ruble's course on February 1, 2005, initially made up of 0.1 euros and 0.9 dollars. The euro's share was gradually increased to reach the current 0.45 euros and 0.55 dollars composition on February 8, 2007.

The widening of the band has taken the ruble to its weakest level versus the basket since its current composition was set.

FOCUS

The central bank used keen investor appetite for the ruble to allow gradual appreciation as a means of fighting inflation until early August, when the trend reversed.

Authorities have now said their immediate focus has switched from fighting inflation to supporting Russia's economy and markets through the global financial crisis and credit crunch.

RESERVES

Russia's gold and forex reserves, the world's third largest, give it a powerful weapon against speculators betting on a weaker ruble.

But the value of the cash pile has fallen by over a quarter since early August, to stand at $435.4 billion on December 12.

Analysts have said such rapid decreases in reserves are dangerous, especially given weaker oil prices that slow inflows of new money and potentially signal demands on reserves from future years' budgets.

Standard & Poor's on December 8 became the first ratings agency to downgrade Russia in a decade.

KEY ROUBLE MOVES

Jun. 26, 2007: appreciation of roughly 10 kopecks; central bank's new bid level seen around 29.81 rubles