OREANDA-NEWS. January 19, 2010. As of January 18, 2009 RTS Stock Exchange will start calculating the RTS Standard Index based on trades in and quotes for the top 15 most liquid stocks of the Russian cash equities market trading on RTS Standard. The new index will be published by the exchange under the symbol RTSSTD.

The introduction of the RTS Standard Index completes the existing RTS Indices family that now includes 3 composite and 7 sectoral indices.

RTS Standard Index has been designed as a benchmark for the Russian blue chips market. Whereas RTS Index based on a basket of 50 most highly capitalized Russian stocks tracks performance of the entire Russian market, and RTS-2 Index includes stocks of mid- and low-cap companies and reflects the moves of the second tier stocks market.

Specific weights of constituent stocks in the RTS Standard Index are equal to those set for the same stocks for the purpose of calculating the RTS Index. As per the methodology of the RTS Standard Index calculation for each stock from the RTS Standard Index basket the number of issued stocks and free-float coefficient are equal to these parameters as determined for the same stocks for calculation of the RTS Index.

The initial value of the RTS Standard Index on January 18, 2010 at the start of the trading session stood at 10,123.03 points, while its basic value on April 23, 2009 equaled 6,285.76 points. The Index is calculated on the basis of ruble-denominated prices for the constituent stocks.

The RTS Standard Index is calculated from 10.30 am to 11.50 pm MSK, which allows investors to follow the Russian cash equities market when the global markets are open.

RTS Standard offers CCP trading in anonymous order book without full advance depositing of assets and with settlement on T+4. The market hours are from 10.30 am to 11.50 pm MSK. The range of instruments includes top 22 liquid stocks of Russian issuers. RTS Standard also offers portfolio margining with trades made on FORTS, RTS’s derivatives section, which makes trading in all the instruments possible using a single, consolidated cash position.

RTS Group is a vertically integrated holding providing a full range of trading and post-trading services. It is comprised of OJSC "Russian Trading System" Stock Exchange, Not-for-profit partnership "Russian Trading System" Stock Exchange", CJSC "RTS Clearing Center", Non-Banking Credit Organization "RTS Settlement Chamber", CJSC "Depository Clearing Company", JSC "UKRAINIAN EXCHANGE", JSC "Eurasian Trading System", OJSC "St. Petersburg Stock Exchange", JSC "RTS Index Agency" and CJSC SKRIN (comprehensive information and news disclosure system).