MOSCOW, July 26 (Reuters) - The Russian rouble was flat

against the dollar on Friday, ahead of the central bank's rate

decision, after strengthening in three consecutive trading

sessions this week, helped by foreign currency sales by

exporting companies.

By 0730 GMT, the rouble was 0.4% lower at 85.35

against the dollar.

Russia's central bank is set to raise its key interest rate

by 200 basis points at a Friday board meeting, according to a

Reuters poll, as it struggles to contain inflation, fuelled by

state spending and lending growth.

Trading in major currencies shifted to the over-the-counter

market, obscuring the pricing data, after Western sanctions on

the Moscow Exchange and its clearing agent, the

National Clearing Centre, were introduced on July 12.

Russian exporters increased their foreign currency sales

ahead of corporate tax payments due on July 29. These sales are

supporting the Russian currency.

Against the yuan, which had already become the most traded

foreign currency in Moscow before the latest sanctions were

imposed, the rouble firmed 0.6% to 11.69, according to an

analysis of the OTC market.

It was down 0.3% at 92.50 against the euro.

Brent crude oil, a global benchmark for Russia's

main export, was down 0.1% at $82.34 a barrel due to weak demand

in China, the world's largest crude importer.