MOSCOW, April 16 Reuters The rouble strengthened past 76 versus the dollar on Friday, clawing back losses sustained in the previous session when the United States announced fresh sanctions against Moscow, including curbs to Russias sovereign debt.

By 1147 GMT, the rouble was 0.5 stronger against the dollar at 75.93, earlier gaining over 1 to reach a more than twoweek high of 75.3150.

It had gained 0.4 to trade at 91.04 versus the euro , pulling well clear of the more than fivemonth low hit on Thursday.

The United States on Thursday imposed an array of sanctions on Russia to punish it for interfering in last years U.S. election, cyber hacking, bullying Ukraine and other alleged malign actions. Russia denies all the allegations.

The Kremlin said on Friday that Russian President Vladimir Putin would decide what counter sanctions to impose on Washington.

The sanctions prohibit U.S. financial institutions from participating in the primary market of Russias government debt, OFZ treasury bonds, from June 14, but analysts said the measures did not force nonresident holders to urgently sell securities.

The level of sanctions needed to impair the Russian economic outlook would include an extension of the sanctions to the secondary OFZ market, introducing caps on dollar financing for Russian banks and a potential freeze of Nord Stream 2 project, said Nikolay Markov, senior economist at Pictet Asset Management.

At this stage, it seems there is no willingness for further…