News: Friday, March 05, 2010 
Note From the Editor
Happy International Womens' Day!
Dear Valued Members,
Kazakhstan Newsline would like to wish you and your families a very happy long-weekend and International Womens' Day!
Due to the holiday, the next issue of the Kazakhstan Newsline daily digest will be published Tuesday, March 9, 2010.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
The Kazakhstan Newsline Team
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Article of the Day
Zhumanbay detained In Moscow
The former chairman of Kazakhstan's once influential Nauryz Bank has been detained in Moscow, RFE/RL's Kazakh Service reports.
Murat Zhumanbay, a spokesman for Kazakhstan's Financial Police, said today in Astana that Kazakh and Russian officials are discussing Orazaly Yerzhanov's possible extradition. He was arrested earlier this week.
Kazakhstan issued an international warrant for Yerzhanov's arrest five years ago. He is officially accused of organizing a criminal group that stole some $30 million.
The Nauryz Bank's operations were officially suspended in November 2004.
Its liquidation is not yet complete. Several senior managers of the bank were jailed in 2005 on charges of corruption and theft of funds, according to RFE/RL.
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Kazakhstan General
Kazakhs accuses Dzhakishev of Money Laundering
Kazakhstan on Thursday accused a former uranium tycoon of money laundering and said its security service had launched a new criminal probe into his affairs in
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Korean Cultural Center opens in Kazakhstan
People in Kazakhstan will be able to get a taste of Korean culture thanks to a Korean cultural center that just opened in the Central Asian
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Chancellor signs Partnership Agreement linking UW-Madison with Kazakhstan
A newly created partnership will increase cooperation between the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a new university in Kazakhstan.
Asalan Sarinzhipov, CEO of JSC New University of Astana,
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Oil and Gas Sector
President Basesci completes Second Day of Official Visit to Kazakhstan
On the second day of his official visit to Kazakhstan, President Traian Basescu met executives from Kazakhstani energy companies, reaffirming the interest of the Romanian Government
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Kazakhstan to increase Oil Transit by Railway through Georgia
In 2009 Georgian Railways transported 1.5 million tons more of Kazakh oil than in the previous year. Kazakhstan exports 5 million tons of oil annually through
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Kazakhstan checks BG, Eni-led Karachaganak Labor Law Compliance
By Nariman Gizitdinov
The Kazakh Prosecutor General's Office is inspecting the BG Group Plc and Eni SpA-led Karachaganak oil venture for compliance with the country's labor laws.
"The
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Energy Industry
President KEGOC reports to Nazarbayev on Development Plans
President Nursultan Nazarbayev met with President of KEGOC JSC, Almasadam Satkaliev, Kazakhstan Today reports citing a presidential press release.
According to the press release, Satkaliev delivered
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Finance and Investment
Presidents of Kazakhstan and Israel discuss Cooperation
President Nursultan Nazarbayev, held a telephone conversation with the President of Israel, Shimon Peres, on Thursday, Kazakhstan Today reports, citing a presidential press release.
"The officials
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Indo-Kazakh Business Seminar seeks to bridge Trade, Information Divide
The Embassy of India in collaboration with the Kazakhstan Chamber of Commerce and Industry organized a business seminar titled “Doing Business with India” at Almaty on
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US Court grants BTA Bankruptcy Protection
A US bankruptcy court granted BTA Bank protection from US creditors so that it may complete the restructuring of its $11.6-billion debt, Reuters reported.
US Bankruptcy Judge
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Samruk-Kazyna to support Astana Finance
Astana Finance said on Wednesday it had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the state holding and investment company Samruk Kazyna, as it works to
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Foreign Reserves up in February - Marchenko
Kazakhstan’s foreign reserves (including the National Fund) increased by 3.3 percent to $52.7 billion in February, National Bank chairman Grigoriy Marchenko said.
“At the end of February
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NBK mulls raising Refinancing Rate
The National Bank of Kazakhstan said on Wednesday it may raise its key refinancing rate by one percentage point to 8.0 percent this year if oil
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Parliament ratifies ADB Loan Agreement
The Senate at a plenary session has ratified a loan agreement (the CAREC-1 Transport Corridor (with sites in the Zhambyl Oblast) (the International transit corridor -
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Metals and Minerals
Kazakhmys in Dividend Surprise
By Garry White
Kazakhmys yesterday surprised the market when it said it was to reinstate its final dividend for the 2009 financial year, as costs plunged and
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Communications and Transportation
First 200 Gas Buses to be launched in Almaty in 2010
The first 200 natural gas-powered buses will be running in Almaty this year, Vice Akim of Almaty, Yerbol Shormanov said at a briefing, Kazakhstan Today reports.
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Regional Business News
Russian Govt to adjust Pensions upward on Apr 1 - Putin
The Russian government will adjust pensions upward by 6.3 percent on April 1, despite the pension fund deficit, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin told a government meeting
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Russia, Ukraine to mend Fences as Yanukovych Visits
Russia hopes to defuse years of tension with neighbouring Ukraine when newly elected Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych visits Moscow on Friday for talks with Russian leaders.
Yanukovych,
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Kyrgyzstan US intends to build Military Training Center in Batken
By Deirdre Tynan
The United States intends to build an anti-terror training center in the southern Kyrgyz province of Batken. The exact location of the facility, which
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Kazakhstan Events
Kazakhstan Financial Forum takes place in Almaty
Kazakhstan Financial Forum will take place in Almaty on March 10-11 in the Rixos Hotel.
Kazakhstan Financial Forum (former Kazakhstan Financial Market Congress) has been held since
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Prices and Statistics
Oil and Gas Prices
Date: March 5, 2010; Source: Bloomberg.com
| Petroleum
($/bbl) |
|
Price* |
Change |
%Change |
Time |
| Nymex Crude Future |
80.66
|
.45
|
.56
|
01:58 |
| Dated Brent Spot |
78.41 |
.04 |
.05 |
02:08 |
| WTI Cushing Spot |
80.21 |
-.66 |
-.82
|
03/04 |
| Petroleum
(cent/gal) |
|
Price* |
Change |
%Change |
Time |
| Nymex Heating Oil Future |
207.84
|
.97
|
.47 |
01:55
|
| Nymex RBOB Gasoline Future |
224.64
|
1.27 |
.57 |
01:55 |
| Natural gas
($/MMBtu) |
|
Price* |
Change |
%Change |
Time |
| Nymex Henry Hub Future |
4.56 |
-.02 |
-.42 |
01:53 |
| Henry Hub Spot |
4.78 |
.01 |
.21 |
03/04 |
| New York City Gate Spot |
5.19 |
-.02
|
-.38 |
03/04
|
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Commodities
Date: March 5, 2010; Source: Bloomberg.com
| Commodity |
Price |
Change |
%Change |
Time |
| COPPER FUTURE (USd/lb.) |
338.600 |
1.050 |
0.31 |
01:58 |
| GOLD 100 OZ FUTR (USD/t oz.) |
1133.600 |
0.500 |
0.04 |
01:59 |
| SILVER FUTURE (USD/t oz.) |
17.190 |
0.014
|
0.08
|
01:58 |
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Metal Prices
Date: March 5, 2010; Source: Kitco.com
| Silver |
17.17 |
+0.04 |
| Platinum |
1576.00 |
-1.00
|
| Palladium |
463.00 |
+5.00
|
| Rhodium |
2,420.00 |
0.00
|
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Exchange rates
Date: March 5, 2010; Source: the National Bank of Kazakhstan
| 1 USD |
KZT 147.28 |
1 CHF |
KZT 137.52 |
1 CNY |
KZT 21.58 |
1 TRY |
KZT 95.57 |
10 JPY |
KZT 1.67 |
| 1 EUR |
KZT 201.21 |
1 AUD |
KZT 132.63 |
1 KGS |
KZT 3.30 |
1 UZS |
KZT 0.10 |
|
|
| 1 GBP |
KZT 221.61 |
1 CAD |
KZT 142.88 |
1 RUB |
KZT 4.94 |
100 KRW |
KZT 12.89 |
|
|
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