MOSCOW. March 6 (Interfax) - Alfa Bank analysts forecast that Russian companies will hold initial public offerings for $30 billion in 2007, the bank said in a press release.

"The volume of new issues will likely reach $30 billion in 2007, which is almost doubt that of 2006," the analysts said. This scenario is very likely if current problems on the world stock market do not disrupt plans that have already been announced.

Russian companies have already raised $10.6 billion through IPOs and other share placements since January 1, 2007.

Alfa Bank's chief strategist Chris Weafer said that of the $30 billion new issues planned for 2007, about $24 billion will be for state-run companies in the banking and electricity sectors. He expects that most of the financial resources raised by these companies will come from strategic investors and from Russian financial investors. This is even more likely if the frenzy continues on world markets, which will result in falling demand for new share issues among emerging economies, he said.

The government remains the biggest investor on the stock market with a stake of $403 billion, or around 40% of GDP. This stake grew in 2007 since more and more state-run companies are entering the market, the release says. Alfa Bank analysts expect that foreign investors will receive an invitation in 2007 to account for a maximum of $10 billion of the planned $30 billion. Of the $17.6 billion raised by Russian companies in 2006, around $6 billion came from foreign investors.

Deutsche UFG President Ilya Shcherbovich forecast at the end of last year that there would be 35 IPOs in Russia in 2007 for a total of $19 billion.

He said that 60 Russian companies were planning IPOs for 2007 for a total of $25 billion. "But our forecast is more realistic - 35 IPOs for $19 billion," Shcherbovich said.