MOSCOW, February 14 - RAPSI, Sergei Feklyunin. A commercial court postponed until February 21 the hearing of appeals against lower-court decisions obligating Norilsk Nickel to provide its shareholder, Rusal, documents dealing with the company's business activity, the court told the Russian Legal Information Agency (RAPSI/rapsinews.com) on Tuesday.

The Krasnoyarsk Territory Commercial Court fully satisfied Rusal's claim in March and obliged Norilsk Nickel to deliver to the plaintiff all the requested documents, including accounting records concerning metal supplies for export and the domestic market, insurance policies, and all the minutes of the 2009-2010 management board meetings. This ruling was later challenged.

Rusal holds the controlling stake in Norilsk Nickel. Rusal said in court that its legitimate interest to the documents is prompted by the need to check the Norilsk Nickel management's good faith. Rusal argues that the documents will let it appraise its efficiency and give a forthright view of the company's financial condition.

Norilsk Nickel is the world's largest nickel producer (18 percent of worldwide output) and palladium producer (nearly 50 percent of worldwide output).

It is also a leading platinum producer (about 13 percent of worldwide output) and copper producer (about 2.5 percent of worldwide output). The company also produces cobalt, chrome, rhodium, silver, iridium, ruthenium, selenium, tellurium and sulfur.