OREANDA-NEWS. June 9, 2011. On June 8, 2011 the RTS Commodity market marked the fifth anniversary of its launch.  Five years ago, on June  8, 2006,  the bell rang to announce the revival of Russian on-exchange commodity market, RTS Stock Exchange launched trading in futures contracts on gold and URALS oil.

Since then the range of instruments has been broadened to 16 contracts (futures and options on energy resources, precious metals and agricultural products). Overall trading volume of commodity instruments on RTS amounted to RUB1.8 trillion for five years of functioning the FORTS commodity section.  Total volume of trades executed in the oil and oil products segment reached 40 mln tons due to high levels of activity in the market.  In the precious metals segment the total volume of on-exchange trades exceeded 10 thousand tons and among agricultural products 637 thousand tons of sugar and wheat were traded.

In the global rating of the most liquid contracts according to the FIA’s journal RTS gold futures and Brent oil futures were among the most liquid instruments on power resources and precious metals in 2010.  Data on Russian commodity contracts traded on the exchange are available for investors all over the world via leading international agencies channels, including Reuters and Bloomberg.

At present FORTS commodity market is the only venue in Russia where any participant can trade the most liquid commodity instruments.

Organization and development of the RTS Commodity market are based on principles of integrity, transparency and informational availability aimed at trading participants and business environment. Cooperation and regular sharing of experience with leaders on the world on-exchange commodity markets (CME, ICE, LME) have allowed RTS to provide Russian participants with the best world exchange instruments and implement state-of-the-art technologies for managing market risks for Russian companies.

Close communication with the representatives of the real economy sectors and government officials have paved the way to success for the FORTS Commodity market over the years. Experts councils and working groups determine strategies for developing the commodity market.  Such bodies consist of managers of leading companies from the prominent sectors of the Russian economy: oil products, precious metals, agricultural products and power.

OJSC RTS is pleased to thank all traders, active participants of the Russian commodities markets for their selfless work in the process of establishing the exchange commodity market.