OREANDA-NEWS. July 30, 2010. OJSC MMC Norilsk Nickel (hereinafter – Norilsk Nickel or the Company) is pleased to announce that international rating agency Standard & Poor’s (hereinafter – S&P) confirmed the Company’s investment grade credit rating at the level of 'BBB-' .The Outlook changed from negative to stable, reported the press-centre of Norilsk Nickel.

According to S&P the Outlook change reflects the Company's healthy credit metrics and improved liquidity. The Agency noticed that Norilsk Nickel's low cost base and additional efforts in cost cutting and in curtailing capital expenditures helped mitigate the impact of the downturn on 2009 credit metrics.  S&P expects the Company’s free operating cash flow to stay positive in 2010 and 2011.

ABOUT MMC NORILSK NICKEL:
MMC Norilsk Nickel is a diversified mining and metal producing company, the world's largest producer of nickel and palladium and one of the global leaders in the production of platinum, cobalt, copper and rhodium. By-product metals of MMC Norilsk Nickel include gold, silver, iridium, osmium, selenium, ruthenium and tellurium.

Production facilities of Norilsk Nickel Group are located in Russia (Norilsk Industrial Area and Kola Peninsula), Finland, USA, Australia, Botswana and South Africa.

The Company is rated Baa2 by Moody's Investors Service and BBB- by Standard & Poor's and Fitch Ratings.