OREANDA-NEWS. On 29 April 2008 was announced, that according to the decision taken by RTS Derivatives Market Committee the initial margin for futures contracts traded on FORTS, RTS derivatives section, will be increased for the period of May holidays.

These changes will be in effect starting from the evening clearing session of April 29th, 2008 and through the evening clearing session of May 4th, 2008.
Futures contracts                                                                                                                       Basic Initial Margin
Non-delivery futures contract on RTS Index                                                                                                                                10%
Non-delivery futures contract on RTS Consumer & Retail Index                                                                                                    10%
Non-delivery futures contract on RTS Oil & Gas Index                                                                                                                 10%
Non-delivery futures contract on RTS Telecom Index                                                                                                                   10%
Delivery futures contract on RAO "UES"                                                                                                                                    15%
Delivery futures contract on MMC "NORILSK NICKEL"                                                                                                                15%
Delivery futures contract on "Gazprom"                                                                                                                                      15%
Delivery futures contract on "Lukoil"                                                                                                                                           15%
Delivery futures contract on "Rosneft"                                                                                                                                         15%
Delivery futures contract on "Rostelecom"                                                                                                                                   15%
Delivery futures contract on "Sberbank" ordinary shares                                                                                                                15%
Delivery futures contract on "Surgutneftegaz"                                                                                                                               15%
Delivery futures contract on JSC VTB Bank                                                                                                                                  15%
Delivery futures contract on MTS OJSC                                                                                                                                        20%
Delivery futures contract on NOVATEK                                                                                                                                         20%
Delivery futures contract on JSC "OGK-3"                                                                                                                                     20%
Delivery futures contract on JSC "OGK-4"                                                                                                                                     20%
Delivery futures contract on OJSC "Polyus Gold"                                                                                                                           20%
Futures contract on Transneft privileged shares                                                                                                                             20%
Delivery futures contract on O.J.S.C. "Uralsvyazinform"                                                                                                                  20%
Delivery futures contract on JSC "OGK-5"                                                                                                                                     20%
Delivery futures contract on "Sberbank" privileged shares                                                                                                               20%
Delivery futures contract on granulated sugar, produced in accordance with all-Union State Standard 21-94                                         8%
Futures on gold                                                                                                                                                                           7,5%
The contract on refined silver                                                                                                                                                        10%
The contract on "URALS" oil                                                                                                                                                        10%
Delivery futures contract on Gas oil L-0,2-62 (all-Union State Standard 305-82)                                                                                 10%

FORTS, the derivatives market of RTS, is a leading trading venue for futures and options in Russia. Trading on FORTS started in September 2001. At present FORTS has the widest range of instruments in Russia. These are 66 contracts (46 futures and 20 options) on shares of Russian companies, bonds, short term interest rates, currency, RTS Index, oil, silver, gas, oil, sugar and gold.

Trading volume on FORTS in 2007 grew threefold and reached 297.41 bln dollars or 144.9 million contracts . Compared with 2006 the number of trades increased more than twofold and reached 11.7mln. Total open interest at the end of the year equalled 14.7 bln  rubles in cash or 3.2 million contracts. FORTS also saw a record day’s trading in 2007 when the value of all contracts traded reached 5.2 bln dollars on December 13th, 2007.