Regulation
Rethinking European power
European energy firms are seeking to reposition their products and strategies in advance of European Union market deregulation. FAME Energy reports
Pointing the index finger
Concerns over manipulative energy price reporting has led to a call for price index reform. But many market participants are apprehensive about disclosing detailed confidential data to a third party. James Ockenden looks at developments
Structured finance caught off-balance
Efforts by energy and finance professionals to stress the difference between legitimate off-balance-sheet entities and Enron’s opaque devices have had little impact, as US regulators rush to clean up structured finance. Maria Kielmas reports
Fastow under investigation
Jeremy Weinstein examines the indictment of former Enron chief financial officer Andrew Fastow and speculates on his – and the Enron management’s – motives
A mark-to-market u-turn
A reversion to the old, non-mark-to-market regime for accounting for energy trading contracts is changing the energy supply business, reports Catherine Lacoursière
Weighing up the options
The Brazilian energy market is set for more upheaval as the incoming president seeks a compromise between his campaign promises of greater state control over energy and the goal of attracting foreign investors into the sector. Maria Kielmas reports
A long road to deregulation
Prospex Research’s Ben Tait reports on Spain and Portugal’s progress in integrating their power markets. High ambitions for deregulation are proving difficult to achieve
FAS 133: increasing transparency
Standard & Poor’s Jack Kennedy and Neri Bukspan believe new Financial Accounting Standards Board rules for US energy traders will make it easier to measure a firm’s risk management ability, liquidity position and equity capital
Prices stable in market turmoil
Given the major changes taking place in the energy trading sector at present – and in view of recent events – it is not surprising that prices are behaving very differently from those last year. Eric Fishhaut of GlobalView Software gives an appraisal