Chief Russian Financial and Macroeconomic Indicators

EVENTS IN THE COMING WEEK

HEADLINE NEWS

Digest of Headline News

COVER STORY

Putin signs pricing, pipeline agreements in Uzbekistan

CB not planning special measures to support ruble - Ulyukayev

If not admitted to WTO soon, Russia will suspend certain obligations – Medvedev

TNK-BP shareholders sign memorandum ending dispute

OPINION

Foreign business not abandoning Russia, foreign capital in banking system on increase - Central Bank

overview

Market turbulence not threatening Russian banking system - Central Bank

FORECAST

Economic Ministry’s working forecast on inflation at 12.2%-12.4% - source

POLITICS. ECONOMY

Russia will suspend some of its commitments taken in WTO talks - Putin

Russia to protect domestic markets after Ukraine’s accession to WTO

Russia’s National Welfare Fund at $31.92 bln, Reserve Fund at $142.6 bln on September 1

Russian international reserves up $1 bln in week

Russian GDP Indicator eased to 6.9% in August – VTB Europe

Russia had 0.1% inflation for Aug 26-Sept 1, 9.7% in year so far – source

Russia to see net capital inflow of $30-40 bln this year – Putin

Russian domestic debt up 1.8% to 1.39 trln rubles in September - MinFin

Russian manufacturing sector activity falls in Aug for first time since Nov 2004 – VTB Europe

Russian services sector index falls to record low in August – VTB Europe

Khodorkovsky lawyers challenge Ingoda District Court judgment

COMPANIES & MARKETS

ENERGY & RESOURCES

TNK-BP shareholders didn’t discuss moratorium on stake sale

Russia downplays threats to energy supplies to Europe

Rosneft could boost oil output over 9% in 2008, delays Vankor launch

Exxon raises Sakhalin-1 production forecast for 2008, expects decline in 2009

Oil export duty to decline to $485.8/tonne on Oct 1

Russian oil production down 0.6% in 8 mths, gas up 3.1%

Russia cuts oil export to non-CIS 5.8% in 8 mths

Iran objects to laying pipelines across Caspian Sea

U.S. needs loyal regimes to access hydrocarbons in Capsian, Central Asia - Patrushev

ELECTRICITY PRODUCTION & DISTRIBUTION. NUCLEAR POWER

Moscow power distributor MOESK planning $1 bln in Eurobonds

EMAlliance, E.ON discuss partnership for Russian, foreign markets

Russian nuclear power cooperation with Armenia entering new phase

METALS & MINERALS

Mechel lowers coking coal prices, signs long-term contracts

Mechel eyes German metals trader HBL Holding

Evraz closes sale of some Highveld assets

Severstal boosts H1 earnings, planning major loan

NLMK buying Beta Steel for $400 mln

Kuzbass, UMMC, S. Korean firms sign power plant deal

METAL GOODS & ENGINEERING

GAZ buying 50% of Italian engine maker VM Motori

AvtoVaz boosts Lada sales by 2.4% in Jan-Aug

IT & TELECOMS

No preparations underway for Svyazinvest privatization – Shchyogolev

Comstar-UTS boosts US GAAP earnings 74% in Q2, below forecast

MegaFon signs iPhone deal

Russia’s VimpelCom acquires several regional fixed-line assets for $27 mln

TRANSPORT

AiRUnion to merge with Atlant Soyuz; to transfer fleet, routes

Tax Service files claims against KrasAir

Russia’s UTair sees IFRS earnings fall 12% in 2007

FOOD & AGRICULTURE. PROCESS INDUSTRIES, FORESTRY & TIMBER

Russia will restrict retail trade in frozen U.S. poultry meat - official

No hidden political motives in Russian ban on U.S. meat imports – Lavrov

Russia may conduct repeat inspections at Australian meat, fish processing plants

CHEMICALS & pharmaceuticals

Uralkali to start price negotiations for exports to China in Oct-Nov

Choongwae Pharma, Stavropol’s Escom to build $195-mln antibiotics plant

CONSUMER GOODS. RETAIL

Euroset denies involvement in alleged crimes

Euroset may enter India market in alliance with Sistema

Kalina lowers IFRS net profit by 10% in H1

IKEA to build shopping center worth 4.5 bln rubles in Tyumen

CONSTRUCTION & PROPERTY

Russia’s PIK Group preparing three five-year bond issues for 12 bln rubles

Open Investments boost stake in Canada’s Viceroy to 100% for $31 million

FINANCIAL & BUSINESS SERVICES

Individual bank deposits in Russia up 2.1% in June - Rosstat

Central Bank to set limit on one-day REPO volumes from September 1

VTB Bank boosts earnings 74% to 16.8 bln rubles in Jan-Aug

VTB to mandate JP Morgan, Citi, HSBC for over $1 bln in Eurobonds

CIS

National Bank of Ukraine boosts intl reserves slightly in August

Kazakhstan sees 0.8% inflation in August

Kazakhstan’s gold and currency reserves up 2.8% in August

Foreign investment in Armenia up 65% in H1

FORECASTS & MARKETS ANALYSIS

FINANCIAL MARKET

DOLLAR CLIMBS TO YEAR-HIGH

GOVERNMENT SECURITIES

OFZ MARKET CONTINUES TO PLUNGE

RUSSIAN EUROBONDS SEE DOWNWARD TREND

STOCKS

ROUGH PATCH CONTINUES ON RUSSIAN STOCK MARKET

RESULTS OF RUSSIAN STOCKS TRADING IN RUSSIAN TRADING SYSTEM

STOCK INDEXES

CORPORATE BONDS

CORPORATE BOND PRICES TO KEEP SLIDING

Nb: This news report features only the headline of each news.