Risk management
The right charge
Savvy firms now accept risk is inevitable. Those that use their risk capitalefficiently outperform those that don’t. Brett Humphreys looks at alternativeinvestments to find out what the right risk-adjusted return on capital chargesmight be
Energia selects SunGard’s Entegrate ZaiNet
Energia, part of the Viridian Group, has selected SunGard’s Entegrate ZaiNet for the straight-through processing and risk management of its physical and financial power and gas contracts.
Dollar distress
Scottish Power has announced a £400 million cash windfall through its currencyhedging programme. Others have not been so lucky – but everyone is nowwaking up to currency trading. By James Ockenden
The matrix
Abstract: Portfolio-wide risk management requires a model that accounts correctlyfor the volatility of, and the correlations between electricity forward products.In this paper Kjersti Aas and KjetilK°aresen discuss a joint model for electricityforward…
Crude protection
Oil producers are divided over the value of hedging oil prices. Are investorslooking for high returns and high risk, or more stable revenues? And how muchdoes hedging actually boost an oil producer’s value? By Joe Marsh
Using a square peg
Hedging load exposures is a complex issue, and plumping for hedging the expectedvolume is unlikely to be the best solution. Brett Humphreys and RahulGill showthat sometimes, the best hedge of a shaped position is an over-hedge
Skating on thin Ice
Profits at the Intercontinental Exchange fell by more than half last year thanksto a contraction in over-the-counter revenues. Yet the exchange reports recordvolumes for its IPE business. Paul Lyon analyses the results
A fertile future
The CME is hoping its introduction of fertiliser futures will protect the industryfrom fluctuations in the price of natural gas – a vital ingredient in mostnitrogen fertilisers. But is it a case of too little too late? By Paul Lyon
Unlimited liability
Potential liabilities for European nuclear operators are set to rise sharply.Financial guarantees for nuclear operators will have to be restructured. Aregovernments and the insurance industry up to the task? MariaKielmas reports
De Vitry elected to Isda board
Benoit de Vitry, London-based global head of commodities and emerging markets rates at Barclays Capital, has been elected to the board of the International Swaps and Derivatives Association (Isda).
Welcome to the Energy Risk awards 2004
The fourth annual Energy Risk awards recognise excellence and innovation in the field of risk management. And to mark the ever-changing face of the industry, Energy Risk has added three new awards this year.
RMS releases updated Climetrix weather trading system
Risk Management Solutions (RMS), a California-based provider of products and services for the management of natural hazard risk, today released version 4.0 of its Climetrix weather derivatives trading and risk management system.
String theory
Abstract: The complete understanding of forward price dynamics is a fundamentaltopic in commodity markets, and there have been many studies on the relationshipbetween spot and forward commodity prices. Here, GiorgioCabibbo and StefanoFiorenzani offer a…
The big picture
Focusing only on measuring VAR and stress tests limits the role of the risk manager.And there are great benefits from a wider view of what risk management can achievefor a company. By Brett Humphreys
Nybot in Nymex sights, but IPE rumours are put on ice
Nymex is rumoured to be interested in acquiring Ice. Here, in an exclusive interviewwith Energy Risk, Nymex president Bo Collins suggests the exchange may also besetting its sights elsewhere. By James Ockenden
Bob Anderson
Former chief risk officer with El Paso, Bob Anderson now heads the Committeeof Chief Risk Officers full time. By James Ockenden
Energy risk manager of the year
Winner: BP
Risk manager of the year – retail
Winner: Reliant Energy Solutions
Risk manager of the year – consumer
Winner: Bayer
Taking the slow road
Recent developments suggest that clearing is likely to gain widespread acceptance in the European energy market. Market participants feel it is a question of how and when – not if – robust, liquid solutions will emerge. By Joe Marsh