Feature
CFTC reveals members of rebooted energy committee
Koch eyes global expansion; Mercuria names Good CFO; BTG Pactual suffers departures; Trafigura hires CFO in Houston; Quantum CEO moves on; Birol picked for top IEA job
Remit delegated reporting leaves unanswered questions
EU energy traders have until October to begin reporting the details of standard power and natural gas trades to regulators under Remit. But the exact process by which many of these initial contracts will be reported remains blurry
LME eyes Asian growth while dealing with regulation
Under chief executive Garry Jones, the London Metal Exchange is eagerly pursuing Asian growth. But the exchange is also spending much of its time dealing with the consequences of stricter regulation in more mature markets
Oil rout roils E&P and airline hedging strategies
Corporate risk management programmes have had a mixed track record amid the recent plunge in crude prices. Oil producers with a conservative approach to hedging are emerging as some of the winners, while some airlines are feeling regretful about their…
Republicans in Congress set to push Dodd-Frank fixes
With Republicans now in control of both houses of the US Congress, energy firms and other derivatives end-users are hoping for new legislation to ease some of the more troublesome aspects of the US Dodd-Frank Act. Their optimism is justified - up to a…
Regulation makes data top concern for energy traders
IT teams are playing a vital role in helping energy traders comply with regulation, improve the quality of internal reporting and manage with lower technology budgets. But they face big challenges, particularly when it comes to integrating data
Morgan Stanley names new commodities co-heads
Evolution unveils European coal desk; Mercuria hires Goldman's cross; New Danske CEO gets to work; Ex-Deutsche Asia power head joins GDF Suez; Gunvor COO steps down
EU ETS to become bigger priority for industrials
Back-loading and structural reforms to Europe’s carbon market are set to collide with a reduction in free allowances, making life tougher for the continent’s polluters. Market participants hope this will engender an increased focus on risk management and…
Dodd-Frank reporting lets traders prey on hedgers
The US Dodd-Frank Act has foisted transparency on derivatives markets by requiring the public reporting of over-the-counter trades. But some end-users are crying foul, as the new rules cast a spotlight on the once-hidden execution of their hedging…
‘Over-broad’ CFTC rules hurt end-users, Giancarlo says
Chris Giancarlo, the sole Republican on the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission, says Dodd-Frank rules are failing energy firms, farmers and other hedgers. In an exclusive interview with Alexander Osipovich, he urges a rethink of the agency’s…
Head of metals trading leaves Credit Suisse
Emea power head leaves Citi; Noble makes two new hires; Morgan Stanley hires BAML's Felgate; Ex-Deutsche MD joins consultancy; CME energy chief departs
Energy evolution set to reshape risk management
During the next 20 years, the energy industry is expected to undergo transformational technological change, shaking up traditional patterns of correlation between different energy markets and creating demand for new types of instruments and more…
JP Morgan commodity heads reveal plans for the future
JP Morgan sold its physical commodities business to Switzerland-based Mercuria in October, a major retreat after years of aggressive expansion in energy and metals. But in an exclusive interview, the bank’s new global co-heads of commodities tell…
Commodity trading firms piece together Mifid II jigsaw
Mifid II is certain to have a big impact on commodity trading firms, but market participants say that piecing together the precise effect of the legislation is difficult due to undefined terms and its complex links with other European rules. Stella…
Official support fails to help Japan LNG contract
The launch of a new forward contract linked to liquefied natural gas (LNG) had been welcomed by the Japanese government amid hopes it might help local buyers manage their risk. But the contract has failed to take off - a sign of the challenges involved…
Enthusiasm for hedging wanes among US airlines
Airline fuel hedging was once a thriving business for bank commodity desks. But now major US carriers are showing less appetite for hedging, while non-bank dealers such as BP and Shell are also muscling in on the airline fuel hedging business. Alexander…
Looking back: El Niño boosts weather derivatives
Liquidity in the OTC weather derivatives market has suffered repeated false starts over the years, including one reported by Energy Risk in December 1997 with the onset of the El Niño weather pattern
The secrets of successful energy trading firms
The energy trading world has seen various companies come and go over the years, including utilities, commodity trading houses and banks. Some of those firms have proven to be phenomenally profitable, while others have not. What is the recipe for success?…
Utility firms struggle to fend off Emir clearing
Europe’s largest utilities are concerned at the prospect of having to clear all their over-the-counter derivatives trades under the European Market Infrastructure Regulation (Emir). But although there are options for avoiding clearing under Emir, whether…
Energy trading: veterans reflect on highs and lows
Celebrating Energy Risk’s 20th year, Vitol’s Christopher Bake and Icap’s Paul Newman spoke to editor Mark Pengelly about the history of the energy market and current trends on stage at Energy Risk Summit Europe in October
Mercuria appoints top team following JP Morgan sale
CME Group cuts global headcount by 5%; Deutsche oil trading heads depart; NextEra hires Barclays's Jee; EDF appoints Goldman sales head; Radhakrishnan leaves CFTC
Banks and investors see appeal of commodity finance
Despite the retreat of major global banks from commodities, commodity finance is nonetheless viewed as an attractive opportunity. But it is an area where banks face increased competition from trading houses. By Mark Nicholls
Looking back: Chaos ensues at IPE amid protest
Open-outcry trading at the IPE was halted in February 2005 amid a lively protest by Greenpeace activists. The timing was ironic, as Energy Risk reported the following month
Energy companies facing ‘intrusive’ CFTC special calls
The US Commodity Futures Trading Commission is stepping up its market surveillance activities, issuing special calls to numerous firms that trade over-the-counter swaps. That is causing headaches for smaller energy companies tangled up in the dragnet…