Rouble fixes at 31.2481/dlr, 43.7814/euro

MOSCOW, July 3 - The Russian rouble eased in early official trade on Friday to a weighted average for tomorrow settlement of 31.2481 per dollar compared with 31.1252 the previous session.

The average weighted rate, set at a joint trading session of eight exchanges across the country <RUBUTSTN=MCX> serves as the basis for the central bank's rouble/dollar rate the following day.

Versus the euro, the rouble firmed to a weighted average for today settlement of 43.7814 <EURRUBON=MCX> at the end of official trade, compared with 43.9000 the previous session.

Against the central bank's basket <RUS=MCX>, made of 0.55 dollars and 0.45 euros and used to guide the exchange rate policy, the rouble eased to 36.90 from 36.86 at Thursday's closing. It remained within the central bank's trading range of 26 to 41.