RTS Released Index Weekly Wrap up (14- 18 March, 2011)

OREANDA-NEWS. March 30, 2011. For the week of March 14-18, 2011 the Russian stock market experienced multidirectional movement of prices.

The RTS Index (RTSI) went up to 1,962.92 points (1.73%) from 1,929.59 points as of March 11, 2010. At the end of the week the RTS Index was 5.06% higher than a month ago (1,868.40 points as of February 18, 2011) and 25.93% higher than a year ago (1,558.80 points as of March 18, 2010).

Growth of the stock market were accompanied by an increase of volatility levels when the Russian Volatility Index RTSVX went up by 5.39%.

Over the week the US dollar added 1.05% against the Russian ruble.

Out of 56 constituents of RTSI included into the old and new RTSI lists 22 were pushing the Index up (plus 56.04 points overall), whereas 27 securities had a negative impact (down 22.70 points in total). The price for seven securities remained unchanged.

The positive effect leaders were ordinary shares of Gazprom (plus 24.13 points), "OJSC "MMC "NORILSK NICKEL" (plus 9.71 points) and Sberbank (plus 7.60 points).

The negative impact was mainly related to the declining prices for ordinary shares of "Surgutneftegas" OJSC (down 8.53 points).

Over 50.78% of the RTSI total capitalization was concentrated in the oil and gas sector. The other large-weight sectors were finance (19.87%) and metallurgy (14.54%).

On the sector level the major positive contributors were oil & gas (plus 18.44 points in total) and metallurgy (plus 9.73) sectors.

RTSI Futures Contracts

For the week of March 14-18, 2011 the trading volume in the RTSI derivatives amounted to 1,004.39 billion rubles or 9.32 million contracts. The turnover of futures contracts on the RTS Index made up 68.83% of the total FORTS turnover (Futures and Options on RTS) in cash terms.

With the RTSI growing by 1.73%, March and June contracts went down by 0.93% and 0.69% respectively.

March futures contracts on the RTSI were settled last week. Settlement price for the contracts was established on 15 March u equaled 190,178 points.

During the reviewed period RTSI linked futures were trading below the spot. By the end of the week June contracts were 75.32 points in backwardation.

For the week investor's open interest measured in contracts decreased by 14.20%.

The RTS Standard Index

For the week of March 14-18, 2011 the RTS Standard Index demonstrated multidirectional dynamics.

The RTS Standard Index went up by 1.75% to 11,929.01 points (11,724.27 points as of March 11, 2011). At the end of the week the RTS Standard Index was3.40% higher than a month ago (11,537.00 points as of February 18, 2011) and 20.73% higher than a year ago (9,880.64 points as of March 18, 2010).

Out of 15 constituents nine had a positive impact on the RTS Standard Index (plus 329.56 points overall). Six securities moved negatively (down 124.82 points).

The positive impact was mainly due to the growing prices for ordinary shares of Gazprom (plus 169.27 points) and "OJSC "MMC "NORILSK NICKEL" (plus 67.11 points).

The negative effect leaders were ordinary shares of "Surgutneftegas" OJSC (down 70.44 points).

Out of the blue chips the top gainers were ordinary shares of Gazprom that added 7.14%, "OJSC "MMC "NORILSK NICKEL" that went up by 5.37% and OAO Severstal that increased by 2.70%.

The oil & gas sector accounted for 55.30% of the RTS Standard Index' total capitalization. The other large-weight sectors were finance (24.04%) and metallurgy (12.60%).

For the week of March 14-18, 2011 the second tier stocks market demonstrated            multidirectional

dynamics.

Over the reviewed period the RTS-2 Index lost 0.96% to reach 2,285.11 points (2,307.28 points as of March 11, 2011). At the end of the week the RTS- 2 Index was 0.45% lower than a month ago (2,295.47 points as of February 18, 2011), and 30.59% higher than a year ago (1,749.85 points as of March 18, 2010).

36 constituents out of 69 stocks included into the old and new lists of securities on the basis of which the RTS-2 Index is calculated had a negative impact on the RTS-2 Index (down 48.08 points overall), whereas 12 instruments were offsetting this effect (plus 25.92 points). The price for 21 securities remained unchanged.

The negative impact was mainly due to the falling prices for ordinary shares of JSC "OGK-1" (down 4.53 points), OJSC LSR Group (down 3.71 points) and JSOC Bashneft (down 3.01 points).

Most of the positive effect was related to the growing prices for ordinary shares of JSC "OGK-4" (plus 9.67 points).

In terms of weight in the RTS-2 Index, the power sector was the largest (34.7%), followed by the consumer goods & trading sector (18.1%) and metallurgy sector (16.1%).

Second-tier stocks

Most of the RTS-2 Index decline was due to the negative contributions by the securities of the following sectors: finance (down 9.43 points overall) followed by consumer & retail (down 7.83 points in total).

RTS Siberia Index

For the week of March 14-18, 2011 stocks constituting the RTS Siberia Index showed multidirectional dynamics.

The RTS Siberia Index went up by 0.60% to close at 967.60 points (961.82 points as of March 11, 2011). At the end of the week the RTS Siberia Index was 1.80% lower than a month ago (985.35 points as of February 18, 2011) and 8.71% higher than a year ago (890.04 points as of March 18, 2010).

Out of the 11 component stocks included into the oil and new lists of securities for calculating the RTS Siberia Index three had positive impact on the Index's dynamics (plus 17.73 points). Three securities moved negatively (down 11.70). The price for five securities remained unchanged.

The positive effect leaders were ordinary shares of "OJSC "MMC "NORILSK NICKEL" (plus 8.24 points) and OAO Raspadskaya (plus 6.33 points).

The negative impact on RTS Siberia Index was coming only from the price decline of ordinary shares of JSC "WGC-3" (down 4.64 points).

The power sector accounted for 41.5% of the RTS Siberia Index' total capitalization. The other large-weight sectors were metallurgy (37.5%) and oil & gas (15.9%).

The RTS family of indices

For the week the RTS Index added 1.73% to reach 1,962.92 points (1,929.59 points as of March 11, 2011), the RTS Standard Index (blue chips index) increased by 1.75% to end up at 11,929.01 points (11,724.27 points as of March 11, 2011).

Growth on the stock market were accompanied by an increase of volatility levels when the Russian Volatility Index RTSVX went up by 5.39% to reach 26.69 points (25.33 points as of March 11, 2011).

Last week most of the key economy sectors represented on the Russian stock market demonstrated negative dynamics. The largest decline was shown by the power sector. The RTS Electric Utilities Index went down by 3.37%. The substantial downturn was also demonstrated by the consumer & retail sector with the RTS Consumer & Retail Index decreasing by 2.58%. The largest increase was reported by the metallurgy with the RTS Metals & Mining Index added 1.40%. The oil & gas sector also showed an upturn with the RTS Oil & Gas Index being up 1.22%.

The regional RTS Siberia Index added 0.60%.

The US dollar appreciated by 1.05% against the Russian ruble to reach 28.74 rubles per US dollar (28.44 rubles as of March 11, 2011).