Alternative Market Briefing

Russia Direct Investment Fund makes second investment into Moscow Exchange MICEX-RTS

Monday, July 23, 2012

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Sean Glodek Bailey McCann, Opalesque, New York:

The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) is a $10 billion fund established by the Russian government to make equity investments primarily in the Russian economy. The fund, which is in essence, the first sovereign wealth fund that functions as a private equity fund, announced its second investment in the MICEX-RTS exchange, in a transaction that will increase the funds stake to 2.7%. The transaction was completed as a joint effort between RDIF and US-based, private equity firm Cartesian Capital Management. Cartesian will now own approximately 2.5% of the Moscow Exchange. The stakes were purchased from ZAO UniCredit Bank, based in Russia. UniCredit will still maintain a 6% stake in the exchange following the transaction.

Moscow Exchange MICEX-RTS is the Russian stock, bond, currency and derivatives exchange. It came into existence in December 2011 as a result of the merger of Russias two main exchanges, MICEX and RTS. The MICEX-RTS is the 9th largest exchange globally, in terms of market-cap ahead of the NASDAQ and LSE, according to Bloomberg. The exchange itself accounts for approximately 70% of liquidity in Russia, Central and Eastern Europe.

This transaction follows an investment earlier this year in the exchange by the RDIF and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. "What we see in the Moscow Exchange is a cornerstone of the strategy to grow Moscow as ......................

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