Regulation
Non-bank commodity traders seen as benefiting from Volcker rule
End-users will hedge more with firms such as BP, Shell and Vitol as banks face ban on prop trading, say market participants
New FCA deadline for power and gas forwards ‘more realistic’, says industry
A decision to delay a deadline for brokers to review their classifications of physically settled gas and power forwards by two months has been welcomed by industry participants
Study casts doubt on mandatory futures insurance
Mandatory insurance for assets held by futures brokers would be extremely costly, concludes industry-backed report
Revived Dodd-Frank position limits worry energy firms
The US Commodity Futures Trading Commission is gearing up for another big fight over position limits, after its original rule was rejected by a federal court. The agency’s latest proposal, released in November, gives market participants little reason for…
Acer investigated 10 potential breaches of Remit in 2012
Acer probed 10 cases under Remit in 2012, agency says, in report that sheds light on the development of monitoring regime
Tradition's Mike Anderson cheerful despite headwinds for energy brokers
Regulatory change and tough market conditions are creating deep uncertainty for energy brokers. But Tradition’s Mike Anderson remains optimistic about the business, he tells Stella Farrington
Remit insider trading rules continue to confuse energy traders
Despite coming into force in December 2011, Remit insider trading rules continue to raise questions among energy traders
EU energy firms face uphill struggle to comply with market abuse rules
The European Union is implementing new legislation and adopting an increasingly aggressive stance on energy market abuse. But the continent’s energy trading firms face an uphill struggle to comply with the rules. Stella Farrington reports
Dodd-Frank special report
Energy Risk looks in detail at the US Dodd-Frank Act and its implications for commodity and energy market participants
CFTC backs down on FCM residual interest rule
CFTC softens post-MF Global reforms to rules on segregated customer funds held by futures brokers
A plea for certainty in regulation
Clear and unambiguous rules have the potential to satisfy advocates of sterner regulation, as well as regulated firms
Shell unit seeks to register as swap dealer
Shell becomes second energy company to seek swap dealer status under Dodd-Frank
Stadtwerke München grapples with regulation and risk management
At Stadtwerke München, one of Germany’s largest municipal utilities, many of the issues facing risk management are different from those affecting big commercial energy firms. But concerns about the impact of financial regulation run just as high. Mark…
Dodd-Frank commodity option rules sow confusion among energy firms
Confusion over CFTC rules is tying US energy firms in knots, as they struggle to determine whether their physically settled commodity options need to comply with critical rules issued under the US Dodd-Frank Act. Alexander Osipovich reports
Energy Risk Europe: Ofgem outlines UK power market changes
Ofgem senior economist makes case for power market reform and details proposals to alter balancing arrangements
Energy Risk Europe: Acer bemoans 'unnecessary' market coupling delays
Acer director expresses frustration at power market coupling delays caused by exchanges and other stakeholders
Energy Risk Europe: Commodity derivatives rules flawed, says SEB’s Iwarson
Derivatives regulation will impede attempts by banks to compete and do lasting damage to European market, says founder of SEB’s commodity business
Energy trading firms unprepared for Emir and Remit, poll finds
Many energy market participants are worryingly unprepared for Emir and Remit, according to a recent poll by Energy Risk
EU ETS fix should focus on long term, argue market participants
Short-term fixes give rise to uncertainty, in contrast to long-term change needed to rescue the ETS, say firms
Commodity hedgers alarmed by CFTC margin proposals
Margin rules proposed after the collapse of MF Global could dramatically raise the cost of hedging, complain market participants
Banks’ physical commodity trading comes under scrutiny
Amid a review of a 2003 determination by the Federal Reserve, the involvement of US banks in physical commodities has come under fire from regulators, politicians and the media. Could they really be forced to exit physical trading? Alexander Osipovich…
Energy firms find Emir thresholds too close for comfort
The European Market Infrastructure Regulation will force non-financial counterparties to clear trades in over-the-counter derivatives once they reach a set of notional thresholds. And despite their original expectations, many energy companies could be…
Energy traders lag on post-trade processing, survey finds
Baringa Partners survey suggests firms may struggle to cope with European financial regulation
Energy end-users may miss Dodd-Frank reporting deadline
Energy derivatives end-users face uphill struggle to comply with reporting rules when no-action relief expires