History
January
MICEX’s computer systems were updated to comply with Y2K issues, and exchange trading was renewed in the regular mode.
MICEX and the companies Golden Telecom, Hewlett-Packard, Small Systems AB CMA, Global Odin CJSC, and the PSRETI MB signed a memorandum of cooperation to implement new information technologies in the Russian financial market.
The Coordination Council of the Russian Conference of Securities Market and Commodities Market Participants urged the Russian government to adopt a support program for Russian enterprises-issuers.
As part of the conference of central (national) banks and interbank currency (stock) exchanges of CIS countries, the Coordination Council on Problems of Development of CIS Currency Markets was founded and a cooperation agreement of exchanges was singed.
February
The MICEX stock market section offered corporate bonds of ALROSA, RAO UES of Russia, and the Siberian-Ural Aluminium Company.
March
The “Problems of Currency Policy and the Role of Central Banks in Ensuring the Stability of National Currencies” conference was held in Moscow, in which the 1999 Nobel Prize laureate in economics Robert Mandell participated upon MICEX’s invitation.
The MICEX stock market section offered corporate bonds of the Magnitogorsk Metallurgical Plant and Samarenergo.
April
Executives of the Currency-Stock Exchanges of the CIS signed the International Association of Exchanges of CIS Countries’ statutory documents in Moscow.
The “Contemporary Problems of Exchange Arbitration” conference was held in Moscow with the participation of representatives of the New York Stock Exchange.
MICEX, the Russian Funds Investment Group, and PricewaterhouseCoopers announced the launch of a program for creating a Russian market for shares of high-tech firms, including Internet companies.
MICEX announced the mass implementation of a hardware and software interface (gateway), allowing “broker-investor” systems to connect with the exchange trading complex to perform operations with securities.
MICEX’s shareholders reviewed the implementation of the Exchange Development Plan for 1996–2000 and approved basic trends for further developing the exchange.
May
Leading informational agencies and the largest Russian exchange areas, including MICEX, founded the Association of Financial-Economic Information Distributors (AFEID) in Moscow.
The MICEX stock market section offered corporate bonds of Vneshtorgbank and Rostovenergo.
June
MICEX was awarded the sponsor’s diploma for active participation in preparing and conducting the 4th St. Petersburg Economic Forum, which was organized by the inter-parliamentary assembly and the Federation Council of the Russian Federal Assembly.
MICEX, RAO Gasprom, and Gasprombank signed an agreement of long-term strategic cooperation in developing the securities market of Gasprom.
July
MICEX began trading large inseparable lots during the special (evening) secondary trading session in the SSB-BFL market.
The Siberian Consensus Interregional Association (IASC), MICEX, and SICEX signed an agreement of cooperation for developing the securities market in Siberia.
August
MICEX and the Budapest Stock Exchange agreed to cooperation for developing the exchange infrastructure.
The MICEX stock market section started offering bonds of NOMOS-Bank and MDM-Trust.
September
As part of the conference of central (national) banks and interbank currency (stock) exchanges of CIS countries in Almaty (the Republic of Kazakhstan), the meeting of the International Association of Exchanges of CIS Countries took place, during which a middle-term program of action was approved.
October
The MICEX stock market section began trading state savings loan bonds (BSSL) of series 30 and 31.
As part of a joint contest of the N.P. Fedorenko International Scientific Fund for Economic Research and MICEX, grants were appropriated for researching the problems of developing the Russian stock market.
The MICEX stock market section offered interest bonds of the Moscow City Telephone Network.
With the assistance of MICEX and the Alor-Invest company, the Youth Centre for Stock Operations was founded in Moscow, which launched a program to train students and young specialists to work in the Russian stock market.
At the SELT “day” session, MICEX’s currency market section introduced a new instrument for USD settlements on the day of trading.
November
MICEX and the Interfax Agency opened Russia’s first financial WAP-site on the web, providing real-time access to exchange quotes.
The MICEX commodities market (standard contracts) section began trading USD futures.
December
The general meeting of the National Currency Association (NCA) approved the Behavior Code for Professional Currency and Money Market Participants.
MICEX and the Belarusian Currency-Stock Exchange (BCSEX) signed a memorandum of cooperation aiming to form an integrated exchange field.
The MICEX stock market section offered bonds of Credit Swiss First Boston Capital LLC, Tumenenergo, and Tulachermet.
MICEX was the strategic sponsor of the 4th Annual “Best Russian Enterprises” contest, for which an awards ceremony was held at the Kremlin on the initiative of the RUE Expert Institute.