Moscow, 24 April 2008 - UC RUSAL, the worlds largest aluminium and alumina producer, is pleased to announce that it has completed the acquisition of a 25% plus one share stake in Norilsk Nickel from ONEXIM Group. Commenting on the deal, Alexander Bulygin, CEO, United Company RUSAL, said: We are delighted that our acquisition of 25% plus one share of Norilsk Nickel has been successfully completed. We have become a shareholder in one of the worlds largest producers of nickel, palladium, copper and platinum and have laid a solid foundation for the development of UC RUSAL as a diversified metals

Moscow, 25 April 2008 - UC RUSAL, the worlds largest aluminium and alumina producer, is pleased to announce that it has signed an agreement with BaselCement, part of the construction business of Basic Element, to sell the Pikalyovo Alumina Refinery. UC RUSAL aims to be one of the most effective energy and metals corporations in the world. The companys strategy is to create and develop a business that complies with the highest possible levels of profitability and which delivers the best quality products. In 2006, the production of alumina at the Pikalyovo Alumina Refinery became unprofitable

‘I believe there is absolutely no point in setting up another trade and business center in Vainer St.-Malyshev St.-Lenin Ave. This downtown area has already got a few malls, not all of which are fully occupied by tenants – this is true of Passage, for instance,’ says Director of GUM Trade Center Elena Uzkikh. In the meantime, Aston Group keeps advertising its new Nakhimov Plaza mall currently under construction at 9 Vainer St. The future mall is claimed to be ‘Yekaterinburg’s only center that enjoys any demand’. The company’s official website reports the building is to be commissioned in July

According to the Central Bank of Russia, volume of loans given by Universal Bank to natural persons for over 3 years went down by 7.33% (from 64.801 million RUR to 60.049 million RUR) in January-March 2008.

Central Bank of Russia reports volume of loans given by Bank Uralsib to non-profit NGOs for 91 to 180 days went down by 24.9% (from 20.15 million RUR to 15.5 million RUR) in January-March 2008.

LUKoil-Permnefteprodukt introduced new, increased petrol prices at its filling stations in Perm Territory, Kirov Region, and Sverdlovsk Region. AI 80 now costs 18.8 RUR per liter (this is .2 RUR/liter more expensive than before), AI 92 is sold for 21.6 RUR per liter (this is .4 RUR/liter more expensive than before), AI 95 costs 23.1 RUR per liter (this is .3 RUR/liter more expensive than before), AI 98 costs 25.4 RUR per liter (this is .6 RUR/liter more expensive than before), and diesel fuel is available for 21.9 RUR per liter (this is .4 RUR/liter more expensive than before). The main cause

Central Bank of Russia reports volume of loans given by VUZ Bank to private individuals for 91 to 180 days went down by 47.99% (from 2.086 million RUR to 1.085 million RUR) in January-March 2008.

According to the Central Bank of Russia, volume of loans given by Tymenenergobank to sole traders for over 3 years went down by 92.1% (from 1.9 million RUR to 150,000 RUR) in January-March 2008.

Even though the euro is quantitatively behind the dollar, it makes up for this through quality, as could be inferred from the foreign currency supply and demand analysis available via the Bank of Russia’s website. In January and February 2008, the better part of foreign currency transactions Russian citizens performed in banks and currency exchange points involved the U.S. dollar, with dollar sales going up in February 2008. In fact, Russian citizens now do tend to sell their dollars rather than to buy any, even through the difference in the number of selling and purchasing transactions is by

The Ural Bank for Reconstruction and Development keeps implementing its strategy of making financial services available within a stone’s throw of any customer through expanding its subsidiary network and has recently set up a third office in Nizhniy Tagil. The new outlet, dubbed Demidovskiy, is now awaiting the city dwellers right downtown, in a two-storey building at 22a Mira St. with light-saturated spacious rooms fitted with all the modern equipment, communication facilities, fire alarm, and security system. The opening ceremony was attended by the city council representatives, members of