NSD to Launch Ruble Settlements Through Euroclear and Clearstream

MOSCOW, April 27, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- National Settlement Depository (NSD), Russia's only settlement depository servicing the full range of debt and equity securities of Russian issuers, reports that starting 3 May it launches a new service allowing its customers to hold ruble settlements through international settlement and clearing organizations - Euroclear Bank S.A./N.V. (Euroclear) and Clearstream Banking S.A. (Clearstream). This service is to be quite demanded due to a debut issue of governmental Eurobonds nominated in rubles as well to Russian corporate issuers' settlements on ruble Eurobonds.

Eddie Astanin, Chairman of the Management Board, NSD, said:

"This technology's implementation goes in line with NSD's development strategy approved in general by the company's Supervisory Board in December 2010. This new service will contribute to increase in attractiveness of Russian ruble as a settlement currency."

Except ruble settlements NSD's customers will be able to conduct settlements on transactions in dollars, euro, Swiss francs and British pounds. Within the framework of further development of DVP settlements services the company plans to offer EDI technologies for the foreign currency control procedures; it will allow NSD to improve the quality of servicing and to simplify settlements.

About NSD

National Settlement Depository (NSD) is the largest settlement depository in Russia, a part of the MICEX Group, servicing on-exchange and OTC transactions with all types of debt and equity securities of Russian issuers and providing settlement services to participants in financial markets of the Russian Federation.

NSD provides storage of global certificates and depository accounting for 99% of corporate bond issues, sub-federal and municipal bond issues. It services 100% of transactions conducted in the federal bond and the Bank of Russia bond markets, more than 99% of transactions conducted in the corporate and regional bond markets, the majority of transactions with equities and also services UIT units and securities of foreign issuers.

In accordance with agreements concluded between NSD and the Bank of Russia, NSD acts as a settlement center for the organized securities market.

NSD is Russia's national numbering agency and the substitute numbering agency for the CIS, authorized to assign the international ISIN and CFI codes.

For further information about NSD: http://www.nsd.ru , or NSD Public Affairs Division: +7-495-232-0910, pr@ndc.ru