On June 23, 2007 Rostransnadzor and Rosaviation (the state transportation watchdogs) imposed bans and limitations on flights to the EU operated by some Russian air carriers. Ural Airlines, for one, was restricted in the type of aircraft it could use for these flights, namely, the airline was not permitted to use its Tu 154M planes until those were brought in compliance with the international regulations. Ural Airlines’ performance in the summer was flawless; in addition, the airline strictly obeyed all the instructions, so all the limitations imposed on the carrier have been canceled. This

Central Bank of Russia reports volume of loans given by SberInvestBank to for-profit self-regulatory organizations for 1 to 3 years went down by 15.25% (from 122.011 million RUR to 103.4 million RUR) in January-November 2007.

Central Bank of Russia reports volume of loans given by UralTransBank to for-profit self-regulatory organizations for 181 days to 1 year went down by 100% (from 308,000 RUR to zero) in January-November 2007.

URSA Bank paid 143.6 million RUR worth of coupon yield to its partners and investors. This are the bank’s third bond issue coupons (40300323 В), and the sum of the profit was determined by the interest rate of 9.5% a year, so 47.87 RUR was the amount paid per bond. URSA Bank went through with the three-billion-ruble bond issue on June 8, 2006, expecting it to be valid for three years. The issue was coordinated by Gasprombank and Citibank at was launched at MICEX Stock Exchange. The repayment is expected to take place on June 4, 2009.

SKB-Bank keeps setting up more ATMs in Russian regions: another new ATM was introduced in Urai, Tyumen Region. The machine can be found by the cardholders in SKB-Bank’s Uraiskiy office and is available from 9 AM to 7 PM on weekdays and from 9 AM to 4 PM on weekends. This is Urai’s first and Tyumen Region’s tenth ATM belonging to SKB-Bank. The bank’s ATM network covers nine Russian regions at the moment; its 220 machines are located in Sverdlovsk, Chelyabinsk, Tyumen, Volgograd, and Rostov Regions as well as in Perm Territory and Moscow. ATMs are situated in business centers, residential

Uralmash Machine-Building Corporation is going to resume its independent production of oil and gas machinery. The company’s top executives believe this re-introduction of drilling machinery sector will make it possible for the enterprise to use its production capacity to the fullest and provide work for a whole range of shops and facilities, including a plant set up specifically for making drilling tools. The share of this equipment in the company’s total goods output is expected to be gradually raised to 19%. Ivan Rozhnov, Director of O&G Drilling Machinery Division, says the plant will

According to the Central Bank of Russia, volume of loans given by Plato Bank to sole traders for 1 to 3 years went down by 100% (from 1.66 million RUR to zero) in January-November 2007.

According to the Central Bank of Russia, volume of loans given by Uralprivatbank to for-profit self-regulatory organizations for up to 30 days went down by 100% (from 1 million RUR to zero) in January-November 2007.

The Kommersant-Bank magazine came up with a rating of the CIS’ largest banks. The rating features banks located in Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Byelorussia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Kirghizia, Georgia, and Moldova and is based upon their activity over the last six months. According to the rating, most of the top two hundred positions have been filled by Russian banks, including twelve banks from the Urals (four of which are based in Sverdlovsk Region). SKB-Bank was able to improve its net assets rating by four positions and was thus rated 123d. The volume of SKB-Bank’s net assets

Central Bank of Russia reports volume of loans given by VUZ Bank to for-profit self-regulatory organizations for 31 to 90 days went down by 14.13% (from 96.08 million RUR to 82.506 million RUR) in January-November 2007.

Ural Airlines keeps selling more and more tickets online. E-tickets for two more flights (Yekaterinburg-Yerevan-Yekaterinburg flight 2949 and Yekaterinburg-Prague-Yekaterinburg flights 701 and 702) became available in November 2007. This means e-tickets are used for three of the carrier’s flights (including a flight to Dubai that has been using e-tickets since September 2007). Over 300 e-tickets are sold every month. The new technology is gradually being employed for flights bound for Moscow and Saint Petersburg; so far, e-tickets have been made available for the airline’s staff, but very

'Aviaprad’s stockholders suggested that we buy the company, so the carrier’s owners and Kras Air are now negotiating on the issue of acquiring a share in Aviaprad. We haven’t got any specific details to speak about yet,’ Kras Air’s press officer said to UrBC. At the same time, there have been media reports about the recent acquisition of Aviaprad’s shareholding by AiRUnion, of which Kras Air is a member.

Ural Bank for Reconstruction and Development (UBRD) conducts special workshops open for everyone who may be willing to attend them. Every single workshop is devoted to a certain aspect of investment activity. The workshops are held at the Investment Center, a specialized office of the UBRD where all the conditions for productive stock exchange trading have been created. A first-time investor can see how QUIK-Broker system works as well as look at the bank’s tariffs and sign agreements on any investment services. The Bank’s website has a special section that provides all the updates on the

Russia New Growh Fund managed by Troika Capital Partners completed the acquisition of 7.94% of URSA Bank’s voting stock on December 5, 2007, the bank’s chairman Igor Kim announced at a Russian Banking Forum in London. 'Having a new shareholder is going to give us new exciting ideas and great expertise,’ he said. 'URSA Bank was chosen by the Fund for its active development, nice regional coverage, and good management,’ the Fund CEO notes. The bank’s shares now belong to chairman Igor Kim (35.55% of voting stock), BOD members Andrei Bekarev and Alexander Taranov (8.28% each), SM.art

The value of net assets of Energy - Mixed Investments (the unit investment trust) managed by Eurogreen Management Company Ltd. went down by 2.84% between December 3, 2007 and December 4, 2007. According to Eurogreen’s website, the company’s net assets decreased from 3,794,625.68 RUR on December 3, 2007 to 3,686,937.12 RUR on December 4, 2007.

Chelyabinsk Tube-Rolling Plant won in the 3d All-Russian Environmental conference/contest supported by the Russian Federation Government, the Soviet of the Federation, and the State Duma as the country’s leading conservationist. A special medal for contribution to the development of large-scale environmental protection projects was given to General Director Vitaliy Sadykov, whereas a year earlier, an order was given to Chelyabinsk Tube-Rolling Plant. The medal proposal was made by Chelyabinsk Region Ministry for Environmental and Radiation Safety; the company’s conservation projects were

Governor of Sverdlovsk Region Eduard Rossel is going to visit the Republic of Hungary as a member of a delegation led by Head of Russian Federation Government Viktor Zubkov. In Budapest, the Governor is going to meet Hungary’s chief architect and directors of a major bank, an insurance company, and a few other businesses in order to discuss the prospects of financing some construction projects in Sverdlovsk Region by the Hungarian investors. In addition, Mr. Rossel is going to take part in the signing of the Russian-Hungarian agreement on the setting up of a Hungarian Consulate-General in

RusRating confirmed credit ratings of forty-two Russian banks on December 1, 2007. SKB-Bank’s credit rating was confirmed at BB-, which is better than the rating of many large Moscow-based banks. SKB-Bank’s rating was originally confirmed by the agency at B+ in August 2006 and was promoted to BB- in July 2007, the bank’s press officer reports. The agency’s analysts say SKB Bank’s rating is based on the fact that SKB-Bank is a medium-sized provincial bank (one of the largest in Sverdlovsk Region, though) that has been cooperating intensely with the region’s authorities for a long time. In

Central Bank of Russia reports volume of loans given by AGROPROMBANK Credit to for-profit self-regulatory organizations for up to 30 days went down by 84% (from 12.5 million RUR to 2 million RUR) in January-November 2007.

Ural Treasures Bank gave away prizes to winners of their Internet Bank lottery. CEO Ilya Markov attended the prize-drawing ceremony and gave a welcoming speech on the bank’s e-service development. The first prize (a laptop) was given to the bank’s customer from the village of Reftinskiy, Sverdlovsk Region. The agenda of the event provided for a special quiz on the bank’s activity and history as well as on the Internet, with winners receiving promotional prizes.