Commodities
A disciplined approach
E&P companies tend not to strategically hedge in a rising market. But there are good reasons for them to do so, and some are sticking to their hedging strategies, despite suffering losses on their derivatives contracts. By Joe Marsh
Icap to acquire United Fuels International
Interdealer broker Icap is to acquire the majority of the assets of United Fuels International, a leading US-based energy broking business with 2004 turnover of $24 million.
Baiting the hook
End-users such as utilities and industrial companies are not showing the same keenness as hedge funds for trading weather derivatives, despite the efforts of banks, dealers and brokers to lure them in. By Joe Marsh
Pricing the weather
Pricing weather derivatives is different from valuing other derivatives contracts – actuarial methods play a greater role. Steve Jewson looks at the varied approaches available
Strength in numbers
Weather derivatives seem to have a bright future: the market is enjoying record liquidity levels as new players, trading ever more diverse products, flood into the market. Oliver Holtaway reports
Former Swiss Re weather experts launch hedge fund
Weather risk veterans Mark Tawney and Bill Windle, who left global reinsurer Swiss Re on July 7, are starting a hedge fund, named Takara, Energy Risk has learned. Weather trader Bill MacLauchlan departed Swiss Re at the same time, for personal reasons.
BNP Paribas strengthens energy derivatives team
French bank BNP Paribas has strengthened its commodity derivatives team in New York, London and Singapore, particularly on the energy side.
Calpine to sell US oil and gas assets for $1bn
Calpine Corp is to sell all its US oil and gas exploration and production assets for $1.05 billion to Rosetta Resources, a newly formed subsidiary of the California-based energy company.
A growing concern
Despite high natural gas prices, Canadian fertiliser maker Agrium has been posting strong profits, while some rivals have struggled. The company’s risk-management strategy has been a significant factor in its success. By Joe Marsh
GFI launches oil and gas broking in London
Inter-dealer broker GFI has opened a London desk to broke crude and gas oil derivatives, including options, the company announced yesterday.
Evolution to open Calgary office in July
Energy broker Evolution Markets will open an office in Calgary, the centre of the Canadian energy-trading markets, in early July.
Just a seasonal swing?
US natural gas market volatility is keeping trading volume high. But is this just a seasonal phenomenon or part of a long-term trend? Catherine Lacoursiere reports
UBS expands energy group and starts trading oil in Canada
UBS Commodities Canada moved into larger Calgary offices in May to accommodate its expanding energy-trading team, including a shift into crude oil. The firm, part of investment bank UBS, has hired its first crude oil trader, its first options trader and…
Peaking patterns
Weather is increasingly affecting power market dynamics, with prices as variableas the temperatures. But the volatility has spawned a growing variety of methodsofmanaging peak load demand. By Catherine Lacoursiere
RWE Trading reorganises coal, oil and freight ops
Alex Thistlethwayte has joined RWE Trading, part of German utility RWE, as head of a new department, Global Commodities Trading. He was previously director of oil trading at Deutsche Bank in London and has also traded natural gas at BP. The move is part…
TFS continues expansion with Arc Oil purchase
Connecticut-based broker TFS is in fierce expansion mode: yesterday it announced its purchase of oil broker Arc Oil, an oil broker headquartered in Houston. This follows TFS’s recent opening of a Houston office and re-entering US coal and emissions…
Point Carbon buys Natsource Scandinavia’s analysis unit
Carbon emissions consultancy Point Carbon has bought Natsource-Tullett Scandinavia, Europe’s largest power and gas analysis firm, but will disband Natsource’s Oslo brokerage operations. The move adds power and natural gas market analysis to Point Carbon…
All bases covered
In 1997, Norwegian energy firm Statoil implemented an enterprise-wide risk management system with the help of Goldman Sachs. Eight years on, few energy companies can rival its approach. Joe Marsh discovers why
Turbulent times
The new Renewable Sources Act obliges German utility companies to buy all the wind power generated in the country on any one day. And it is adding a new volatility to the German power market. By Stella Farrington
Hanging on at the top
This year’s User Choice Awards demonstrate that quality counts. In a fast-changing market, the top vendors and packages have managed to stay ahead of the pack. But the winners cannot rest easy. With IT budgets deflated, it’s a competitive market, and…
Merrill Lynch starts building coal desk
Matt Schicke, former director of coal trading at Michigan-based DTE Energy, has joined Merrill Lynch to build a US coal trading desk from its Houston office. As vice-president, he is initiating steps to trade coal, said Merrill spokeswoman Terez Hanhan.
A good bet for 2005
2005 is forecast to be a tough year for many hedge funds, but the saturation of some of their traditional markets could prove a boon to the energy sector, finds Stella Farrington
Evolution expands gas and power desk
US broker Evolution Markets has hired two brokers for the North American natural gas and power desk it launched in October. Corey Geraghty and Trenton Davis now broker gas and electricity options from the company headquarters in White Plains, New York.
TriOptima trims six companies' oil swap portfolios
TriOptima, a Swedish company dedicated to reducing over-the-counter swap portfolios, has expanded its service into energy. The company has terminated its first group of multilateral OTC oil derivative swaps, with six companies eliminating unnecessary…