Articles by Stella Farrington
European energy regulators step up market surveillance
Despite quality concerns, monitoring of Remit trade data is under way, officials say
Energy firms under pressure to improve trade surveillance
Monitoring at most energy firms inadequate for regulation, say consultants
EU energy firms kept waiting by stand-off over Mifid II rule
Progress on ancillary exemption halted by ‘political’ dispute between EC and Esma
Energy trading firms race to improve analytics capabilities
Surging availability of data lets firms with best market insight gain an edge
EU energy firms ‘working in the dark’ on Remit reporting
Uncertainty lingers even as firms begin reporting bilateral power and gas trades
IT heads of energy trading firms wrestle with budget cuts
Migration to cloud-based solutions considered as budgets fall 20–25% in 2016
Falling budgets are top IT worry for energy firms
Tech spending by energy trading companies is set to plummet in 2016, survey finds
EC seeks redo of controversial Mifid II commodity provisions
European Commission demands revisions to draft Mifid II rules on ancillary exemption and position limits that had proved contentious for EU energy firms
Spot market for Asian LNG gaining momentum, traders say
Changing market fundamentals are expected to transform the way LNG is traded in Asia in the next several years, fuelling the emergence of a regional spot index and derivatives market
SGX hopes to shake up LNG market with new index
Asian LNG traders voice cautious optimism about ‘Singapore Sling’ spot-market index and derivatives contracts
EU capital rules for energy traders not as bad as feared – PwC
Commodity trading firms can slash Mifid II capital charges by 40% through optimisation of derivatives portfolios and application of new Basel rules, report finds
New EU market abuse rules worry energy traders
Ban on insider trading in commodities seen as “very tricky”
Mifid II one-year delay not enough to solve problems, energy industry says
The anticipated one-year delay to January 2018 of implementation of the Mifid II rules still leaves energy firms little time to respond to the regime, given the number of key rules still not finalised
EU commodity derivatives regulation: 2016 and beyond
Market participants await key deadlines and decisions in the year ahead
Energy firms urge EC to ease Emir clearing rules
Industry groups are using the European Commission’s review of Emir to push for changes to rules for calculating their exposure to clearing thresholds – tweaks that could make a big difference in whether commodity firms are saddled with the dreaded ‘NFC+’…
Ending Emir hedge exemption conflicts with Mifid II, firms say
EU energy firms warn Esma’s proposal to scrap the Emir hedge exemption would introduce a glaring inconsistency between Emir and Mifid II
Stricter EU collateral rules threaten Nordic power market
Tighter EU collateral standards set to come into force in March 2016 may hurt liquidity in Nordic electricity derivatives, market participants say
Energy traders hit back at French regulator over interview
Industry group blasts AMF official’s stance on Mifid II commodities provisions, bemoans regulators for being “deaf” to industry concerns
Oil rout sharpens energy companies' focus on credit risk
With defaults in the energy industry at their highest level in 15 years, firms are increasingly nervous about the credit standing of their peers. That has put pressure on credit teams to improve their counterparty assessments
Q&A: French regulator defends Mifid II commodity rules
Mifid II has sparked an outcry from EU energy firms, which complain the new rules will force them to curtail hedging or even exit the markets altogether. But Vincent Derbali, an official with France's AMF and a member of Esma's commodity derivatives task…
BP mulls restructuring of trading unit over Mifid II
Oil major BP expects it will need a Mifid II licence for some trading activities, which may prompt the creation of a new entity to comply with the incoming EU rules
Mifid II sparks frantic lobbying push by EU energy firms
European energy firms are mounting a last-minute attempt to effect changes to Mifid II even as the legislative process enters its final stages. If the effort fails, a dramatic retreat from commodity derivatives markets could be in the works, Stella…
Surveillance of EU energy markets set to increase
Regulators expect to make major advances in EU wholesale energy market monitoring now that trade reporting has begun, but some participants fear that different approaches across borders will lead to inconsistent enforcement
EU energy firms brace for Remit reporting woes
Market participants expect ‘teething problems’ as Remit trade reporting begins on October 7, while regulators offer sympathy and suggest they will go easy to enforcement