OREANDA-NEWS. June 1, 2012. For the week of May 21-25, 2012 the MICEX Index rose by 0.80% to 1,281.60 points from 1,271.48 points as of May 18, 2012.

The RTS Index calculated based on prices in US dollar dropped by 1.30% to reach 1,272.69 points (1,289.46 points as of May 18, 2012). The US dollar appreciated by 2.21% against the ruble.

The stock market volatility rose last week, with the Russian Volatility Index increasing by 1.42% to 45.08 points (44.45 points as of May 18, 2012). Last week most of the key economy sectors represented on the Russian stock market demonstrated a positive trend. The largest upturn was reported by the oil & gas sector, with the relevant sector index rising by 1.58%. A significant increase was also shown by the telecommunications and industrial sectors, with the MICEX TLC\RTStl Index and MICEX MNF\RTSin Index adding 1.16% and 0.67% respectively. The largest downturn was posted by the power sector with the MICEX PWR\RTSeu Index shedding 4.29%.

The MICEX Innovation Index added 0.99%.

Mid cap companies were most affected by the last week's market growth, with the MICEX Mid Cap Index being up by 1.04%. The MICEX Large Cap Index grew by 0.40% while the MICEX Small Cap Index lost 0.95%.

For the week of May 21-25, 2012 the Russian stock market showed a positive trend.

The MICEX Index was up 0.80% to 1,281.60 points from 1,271.48 points as of May 18, 2012. At the end of the week the MICEX Index was 12.33% lower than a month ago (1,461.85 points as of April 25, 2012) and 20.64% lower than a year ago (1,614.86 points as of May 25, 2011).

Trading volume of securities included into the MICEX Index constituents list and traded on the Main market equaled RUB205.16 billion. By the end of the week the market capitalization of the Index component stocks amounted to RUB17,168.76 billion.

Out of 30 MICEX Index's constituents 17 were pushing the Index upwards (plus 1.93%), whereas 12 securities behaved negatively (down 1.13%), price for one security remained unchanged.

On the sector level the major positive contributors were the oil & gas (plus 0.81%) and financial sectors (down 0.30%).

The most positive impact was mainly due to the rising prices for ordinary shares of JSC  "LUKOIL" (plus 0.41%), followed by Gazprom (plus 0.37%) and Sberbank (plus 0.31%).

The oil & gas sector accounted for 55.23% of the MICEX Index' total capitalization. The other large- weight sectors were financial (17.93%) and metallurgy (8.55%).

For the week of May 21-25, 2012 the RTS Index dropped by 1.30% to 1,272.69 points from 1,289.46 points as of May 18, 2012. At the end of the week the RTS Index was 19.62% lower than a month ago (1,583.42 points as of April 25, 2012) and 29.61% lower than a year ago (1,808.13 points as of May 25, 2011).

Last week's decrease of the RTS Index was accompanied by an increase of volatility levels when the Russian Volatility Index RTSVX was up by 1.42%.

The US dollar appreciated by 2.21% against the ruble.

Out of 50 Index constituents 19 were pulling the Index down (down 1.82%), whereas 15 securities behaved positively (plus 0.52%). The price for 16 securities remained unchanged.

On the sector level the major negative contributors were the power (down 0.45%) and oil & gas sectors (down 0.27%).

The negative impact was mainly related to the lowering prices for ordinary shares of JSC  NOVATEK (down 0.35%) followed by Rosneft (down 0.32%) and "OJSC "MMC "NORILSK NICKEL" (down 0.26%).

For the week of May 21-25, 2012 the total trading volume in index futures and options on the FORTS derivatives market equaled RUB786.27 billion rubles representing 9.75 million contracts.

Last week's trading volume for the most liquid contract on FORTS, futures contracts on the RTS Index, amounted to RUB717.08 billion representing 8.88 million contracts.

The RTS Index futures contract traded in backwardation last week. By the end of the week the RTS Index lost 1.30%, while the June and September futures contracts shed 1.10% and 0.95% respectively.

The total investor's open interest measured in RTS Index futures increased by 28.89%.

During the week, trading volume in futures contract on the MICEX Index was RUB2.94 billion representing 23.06 thousand contracts. Open interest in the contract decreased by 7.85%.

Trading volume in options on RTS Index futures totaled RUB64.19 billion representing 829.19 thousand contracts. By the end of the week, open interest of RUB113.26 billion or 1.31 million contracts was fixed. Call options made up 52.92% of the total open interest for these contracts. The 140,000 strike calls had the highest open interest, as the 100,000 strike puts.

The total investor's open interest measured in options on the RTS index futures increased by 50.24%.