Micex | News Room | The MICEX Stock Exchange and Interfax to disclose information on Russian issuers

The MICEX Stock Exchange and Interfax to disclose information on Russian issuers

July 24, 2007

The MICEX Stock Exchange and Interfax Group are starting a joint project aimed at widening the range of information services provided to participants in trading on the Exchange, creating effective channels of distribution of issuers▓ information and improving investors▓ awareness in the course of IPOs.

As of 1 August 2007, participants in trading on the MICEX Stock Exchange will receive access to SPARK-Emitent, which is a comprehensive and effective database on Russian companies-issuers, designed with consideration for investors▓ wishes. Services and publications of SPARK-Emitent will be provided to participants in trading on the MICEX Stock Exchange at discount prices. Participants in trading will also receive access passwords to companies▓ data.

Companies-issuers will receive an information channel enabling to distribute information needed by market participants. Issuers placing their securities on the MICEX SE will enjoy a number of preferences when making conference calls, holding Internet press-conferences, providing Internet broadcasting or consulting services in the area of investor relations.

Professional participants in the securities market will be able to use SPARK-Emitent to offer their analytical products by entering into the system their own forecasts or recommendations and adding their analytical reports to the data base.

According to the CEO of the MICEX Stock Exchange Alexei Rybnikov, "the project will enable participants in trading to use a comprehensive database on companies which have their securities traded on the MICEX SE and companies which make their IPOs on the MICEX SE. It will give issuers a new channel of communication with the investment community, including 400.000 clients of participants in trading on the Exchange. This system will create a convenient information environment in which new issuers, including innovation and growth companies, will be able to enter the market.»

"The project integrates the potentials of SPARK, which is Russia▓s largest database of corporate information, Interfax Agency▓s system of information disclosure, our news services and a number of services in the area of investor relations, offered jointly with Thomson Financial Agency. We wanted to base all those channels on a single platform, and partnership with the MICEX Stock Exchange helped us to implement our plans,» said Mikhail Komissar, CEO of Interfax Agency.

The joint project of the MICEX Stock Exchange and Interfax is aimed at improving the transparency of the Russian stock market, helping issuers to disclose information and providing participants in trading and their back-offices, depositories and analytical subdivisions with convenient and effective access to this information.

The MICEX Stock Exchange is Russia▓s leading stock market. It organizes daily trading in securities of over 620 issuers, including Gazprom, RAO UES, LUKoil, Norilsk Nickel, Sberbank, Rostelecom, Surgutneftegaz, MTS, Tatneft and other blue chips with the total market capitalization of about 900 billion dollars. In 2006, the total volume of trading on the MICEX Stock Exchange amounted to 755 billion dollars. Trades in shares accounted for 550 billion dollars, which is over 90% of the total exchange-based turnover in the Russian market and about 70% of the global turnover of Russian assets (including GDRs and ADRs). Trading is held electronically, using an up-to-date trading and depository system, connected to regional floors and over 1500 remote terminals of 600 broker companies and banks in 100 Russian cities, which serve over 320 thousand investors. Growth of the volume of exchange-based transactions in corporate securities enabled the MICEX Stock Exchange to join the list of the world▓s top 20 stock exchanges. At present the MICEX SE is the main center of formation of liquidity for Russian assets and international investments in stocks and bonds of leading Russian companies. In 2002 the MICEX joined the World Federation of Exchanges. The WFE is comprised of over 100 exchanges across the world which together account for 97% of the capitalization of the world stock market.

Interfax Information Services Group develops information products and means of communication which are used by decision makers in politics and business. The Group, established in 1989, is comprised of national, regional and industrial news agencies operating in Russia, the CIS, China and Central Europe. Interfax includes companies and subdivisions which provide news, analytical services, market data and fundamental information and develop software solutions.

SPARK -Emitent data base contains fundamental data on about 2000 companies, information on their securities, calendar of corporate events, analysts▓ forecasts and recommendations, consensus forecasts, current events and corporate news of Interfax. SPARK-Emitent uses information coming from issuers, the RF Service for Financial Markets, Rosstat, the RF Federal Tax Service, the Bank of Russia, as well as information on bankruptcies, trials, etc. Interfax Group, the developer of SPARK √Emitent, is authorized to disclose information for participants in the stock market. SPARK √Emitent is renewed annually. Interfax Group publishes current corporate news which forms the most popular newswire on the market. Interfax Group takes into account the wishes of professional participants in trading and intends to contribute to improving interaction between issuers and investors.