NYSE Welcomes Russian Finance Minister, Alexey Kudrin

“We are honored to welcome Alexey Kudrin, the Russian Finance Minister, on his official visit to the New York Stock Exchange,” said NYSE Group, Inc. President & co-COO Catherine R. Kinney. “The NYSE is proud of our partnership with Russia and our growing list of Russian listed companies. We look forward to expanding our relationship with Russia.”

Minister Kudrin was visiting the U.S. to attend the 2006 IMF/World Bank SpringMeetings in Washington, D.C., and recently expressed his endorsement of Russiancompanies listing overseas to complement their home market listing.

“The Russian economy is growing at a rate of 6.5% and generates strong interest from U.S. investors,” said Alexey Kudrin, Russian Finance Minister. “I hope that our growing economy and new investor tools such as the RUXX index, which tracks Russian companies traded in overseas markets, will attract more attention to the Russian economy from U.S. financial community.”

The six companies which the NYSE currently lists from Russia are:A.O. Tatneft (NYSE: TNT); Mechel Steel Group AOA (NYSE:MTL); Mobile TeleSystems (NYSE: MBT); Rostelecom (NYSE:ROS); Vimpel-Communications (NYSE: VIP) and Wimm-Bill-Dann Foods OSJC (NYSE:WBD). The NYSE is in discussion with several leading Russian companies about listing on the NYSE once they meet U.S. registration and listing requirements. Gazprom, Russia’s leading energy company, has announced its intention to list on the NYSE once it meets the requirements.