Severnaya Kazna Leasing Company Ltd sold its 2.847% shareholding of Bank Severnaya Kazna, while Stroi Accent raised its share in the bank’s authorized capital from 2.522% to 5.368%, or by 2.846%. This information was published in compliance with the demand that any issuer and/or a joint stock investment fund must promptly reveal any essential information that might influence their stock price.

According to the Central Bank of Russia, volume of loans given by Ural Innovational Commercial Bank to for-profit self-regulatory organizations despite overdraft went down by 43.47% (from 25.65 million RUR to 14.5 million RUR) in January-December 2007.

Russian Federal Property Fund announced it was going to sell the shares of a plant dealing in manufacturing of large diameter pipes by auction in the near future. The decision was taken and formalized by the Federal Property Management Agency on December 14, 2007. The auction is open for all those willing to apply with bids in any format they like. The results of the auction are to be declared on February 14, 2008.

AutoVaz and Magnitogorsk Iron & Steel Works (MMK) held a coordination meeting in Togliatti. The agenda of the meeting covered issues related to the quality of the produce supplied by MMK and the two companies’ cooperation potential. MMK was represented by a group of experts headed by the Technological Management Director Alexander Sarychev. AutoVaz representatives said the quality of rolled metal supplied by MMK improved, which was particularly true of goods used in VAZ cars outside parts. The two parties discussed the terms of delivery of the hot-dip-galvanized metal for the outside

Central Bank of Russia reports volume of loans given by VUZ-Bank to for-profit self-regulatory organizations for up to 30 days went down by 51.55% (from 31.268 million RUR to 15.15 million RUR) in January-November 2007.

According to the Russian Federation President’s order 1222 as of October 19, 2005, Russian citizens willing to go abroad must obtain new-format international passports containing special information microchips. All Sverdlovsk Region dwellers may apply for these new generation passports at the Federal Migration Service’s head office at 2 Krylov St., Yekaterinburg beginning from January 14, 2008. At the same time, all the other outlets as well as the head office will be issuing old-format passports: these will be valid until their expiry date. In addition, new passports will have become

According to the Central Bank of Russia, volume of loans given by SberInvestBank to for-profit self-regulatory organizations for 31 to 90 days went down by 26.67% (from 75 million RUR to 55 million RUR) in January-December 2007.

According to the Central Bank of Russia, volume of loans given by Plato Bank to natural persons for 1 to 3 years went down by 84.86% (from 2.821 million RUR to 427,000 RUR) in January-December 2007.

The value of net assets of Energy - Mixed Investments (the unit investment trust) managed by Eurogreen Management Company Ltd. went down by .9% between December 27, 2007 and December 28, 2007. According to Eurogreen’s website, the company’s net assets decreased from 3,280,126.14 RUR on December 27, 2007 to 3,250,719.1 RUR on December 28, 2007.

Central Bank of Russia reports volume of for-profit self-regulatory organizations’ deposits in SberInvestBank valid for 1 to 3 years went down by 82.5% (from 20 million RUR to 3.5 million RUR) in January-November 2007.

'I don’t think it’s improbable that UralTransBank’s shareholders might sell a portion of or all of their shares,’ Unicom Partner Investment Company’s Asset Management Director Sergei Kaliberda said to UrBC. According to Vedomosti newspaper, OTP, a Hungarian firm that has bought Investsberbank earlier, might go on buying banks in Russian provinces, including UralTransBank which is particularly attractive because of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development being one of its shareholders. 'It’s hard to say whether they have any personal reasons to act in this way, yet the

Central Bank of Russia reports volume of for-profit self-regulatory organizations’ deposits in VUZ Bank valid for 31 to 90 days went down by 67.92% (from 9.351 million RUR to 3 million RUR) in January-November 2007.

The Ural Bank for Reconstruction and Development was rated Russia’s 41st top broker in November 2007, RosBusinessConsulting reports. The bank’s total market turnover amounted to $272.11m last November. Moreover, the Ural Bank for Reconstruction and Development was Ural Federal District’s only bank to hit the rating. 'Stock market operations have always been one of the bank’s top priorities,’ says Vladimir Zotov, the bank’s Financial Institution Management and Treasury Investment Services Director. 'Our customers can use a range of stock market services we offer, such as trust

The total volume of natural persons’ deposits in SKB-Bank rose by 28% between January 1, 2007 and December 1, 2007 and reached 7,782,625 RUR. This information is available from Bank Severnaya Kazna’s official website in the report on the performance of Sverdlovsk, Chelyabinsk, and Tyumen Regions and Perm Territory’s largest banks in five months of 2007.

Excise duty rates for alcohol, tobacco, and automobiles are to go up on January 1, 2007. This covers both cigars and cigarettes, strong drinks and spirit-based goods, and cars with engine power of more than 67.5 kW (90 HP), eCraft reports. The excise duty set for cars with engine power ranging from 57.5 kW (90 HP) to 112.5 kW (150 HP), for instance, will come to 19.26 RUR per .75 kW(1 HP). These changes have been brought about by the Federal Customs Service’s order issued on December 6, 2007. The order states that excise duty rates are to be raised gradually, that is, in three steps (January

RTS’ Board of Directors decided not to deal in any trading in any of its stock markets on December 29, 2007. Besides, according to the Russian Government’s decree regarding the New Year recess, the exchange won’t be operating from December 30, 2007 to January 8, 2008. RTS is to resume trading on January 9, 2008.

Ural Treasures Bank set up a new office in Sukhoi Log, Sverdlovsk Region, on December 25, 2007, the bank’s press officer reports. Office 1214/1/107 can be found at 3 Yubileynaya St. It welcomes private individuals from 9 AM to 6 PM on weekdays and from 10 AM to 6 PM on Saturdays. Legal entities are serviced from 9 AM to 4 PM on weekdays.

'We are not experiencing any gasoline supply shortage at the moment. Our Perm- and Ufa-based suppliers deliver the gas regularly and without any interruptions,’ Oil-Ek’s Director Andrei Chetverkin said to UrBC. He explained that the only local company that did have some supply problems was Yekaterinburgnefteprodukt (Sibneft) that had been suffering from acute gas shortage since the beginning of the week. 'The suppliers promised to decrease the wholesale prices in January, so we might be able to decrease ours as well,’ Mr. Chetverkin added. On average, the retail prices went up by

Central Bank of Russia reports volume of non-profit NGOs’ deposits in Sverdlovsk Gubernskiy Bank valid for 1 to 3 years went down by 46.99% (from 110 million RUR to 58. 301 million RUR) in January-November 2007.

According to the Central Bank of Russia, volume of for-profit self-regulatory organizations’ deposits in Tagilbank valid for 91 to 180 days went down by 28.57% (from 7 million RUR to 5 million RUR) in January-November 2007.