/IRBIS, May 2, 02/ - In first four months of 2002 total volume of transactions made at the Kazakhstan Stock Exchange (KASE) reached an equivalent of $650,203.8 th. and increased by $115,836.4 th., or 21.7% relative to similar period of last year.

During the year 2001 foreign currency transactions volume at KASE was estimated by equivalent of $1,961.9m.

Following is the table with the volumes of foreign currency transactions at KASE in 2002, which is grouped by months.

---------------------------------------------------------------
                                Total
          volume of trades, th. unit.                    Volume
          ---------------------------   Volume,  of equivalent,
Month            USD    EUR       RUR     m KZT         th. USD
--------  ----------  -----  --------  --------  --------------
January      150,880      0    27,100  23,011.7       151,766.3
February     138,810     80    18,400  21,203.7       139,475.4
March        156,335    345     2,700  23,855.5       156,724.0
April        202,065      0     5,400  30,892.1       202,238.1
--------  ----------  -----  --------  --------  --------------
Total        648,090    425    53,600  98,963.0       650,203.8
---------------------------------------------------------------

Weighted average market rate of tenge to U.S. dollar in 2002, calculated based on the deals of the main session of the KASE, equaled by IRBIS estimates KZT152.20 per dollar.

Devaluation rate of tenge to dollar is estimated as of April 30, 2002 at 4.17% APR based on the rate of the Exchange. In 2001 tenge devaluation level was 3.82%.

[2002-05-02]