Which currency strengthened the most in August?
Does that mean the exchange rate changed against the dollar or euro? How will that affect my savings or if I was planning to buy something abroad?
3 answers
★ Best answer
Don't expect me to tell you exactly which currency strengthened in August - financial data changes constantly, and I don't know the actual rates for specific dates. But the general principle is simple: if a currency strengthened, it means its value grew relative to the dollar or euro. For example, if the ruble strengthened, then for the same amount in rubles you could buy more dollars than a week earlier.
How this affects your savings depends on which currency you're holding them in. If you've accumulated dollars or euros, and other currencies were strengthening, then in terms of those currencies your savings conditionally lost purchasing power. The opposite situation - if the currency you're saving in was the one strengthening. With foreign purchases it's the other way around: if you were planning to buy in dollars and the dollar gets more expensive, you'll spend more of your money. Dollar strengthening makes foreign shopping more expensive for residents of other countries.
To find out the specific rates for August, go to the Central Bank of Russia (if you need ruble data), Investing.com, or Yahoo Finance (they have historical charts for all currencies). There you'll be able to compare exactly how rates changed during the period you need - it'll take a couple of minutes, and the information will be accurate.
I don't have exact data for August, but here's the logic: if the ruble strengthened against the dollar, it means you'll get fewer dollars for one ruble unit than before (or conversely, you'll need fewer rubles to buy a dollar). For your savings, that's good if you're accumulating in the currency that strengthened, and bad if you're accumulating in the one that weakened.
If you're planning to buy something abroad, look at it the other way around: strengthening of a foreign currency means goods there will become more expensive in rubles. Here's a life hack - lock in the exchange rate: if you see a price now, remember it or take a screenshot with the current cross-rate, and if your currency weakens over the next month, you still have a chance to catch the moment to buy while the rate is still fluctuating.
Guys, there's some confusion in the previous answers about the wording. When a currency strengthens, it means it becomes more expensive relative to other money. If the ruble strengthens against the dollar, then for one ruble you'll get more dollars (or, conversely, the dollar becomes cheaper relative to the ruble - it's the same thing). Accordingly, if you were planning to buy something abroad in dollars, a stronger ruble works in your favor: you'll need fewer rubles for the same amount in foreign currency.
This also matters for your savings, but in the opposite way. If you have money sitting in rubles and the ruble strengthens, then nominally they become "more expensive" on the world market, but domestically the purchasing power doesn't change. And if your savings are in foreign currency and the ruble strengthens, then in ruble terms your savings have decreased.
As for August 2026 specifically, I can't give you exact figures - exchange rates fluctuate, and it's better to check the Central Bank's archived data or financial services like Yandex.Money. But here's the thing: track the trends over the course of the month, not just the final rate, otherwise you might catch the moment when the currency has already reversed direction.
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