Energy
Nord Pool names new head of financial markets, launches new contract
Oslo-based electricity exchange Nord Pool has made two new appointments and is about to launch a new contract for hedging the power price difference between the German and Nordic power markets.
New carbon brokerage targets non-power-sector SMEs
Three senior players in the European emissions trading market have launched Carbon Capital Markets, a broker-dealer service that targets small to medium-sized companies (SMEs) outside the power sector.
Powernext to launch spot carbon contract in late June
French electricity exchange Powernext will launch its delayed CO 2 emissions spot market on June 24, barring any technical or administrative difficulties among market members.
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
Sharon Brown-Hruska
The CFTC’s Sharon Brown-Hruska believes in minimal market interference, even, as she tells Joe Marsh , when it comes to hedge funds
Getting it together
The US Committee of Chief Risk Officers is proposing an energy data hub to improve price transparency in the natural gas market, but index publisher Platts is concerned over some aspects of the initiative. Joe Marsh 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…
Spectron brokers first 'clean' spark spread
Energy broker Spectron has facilitated the UK’s first carbon-neutral, or 'clean', spark spread trade.
DrKW launches retail carbon product
Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein has paved the way for private investors to gain exposure to the carbon emissions market with a new securitised product.
ABN Amro expands commodity-trading team, opens Singapore office
Dutch bank ABN Amro has made several commodity trading and marketing hires in London and New York, and opened an office in Singapore.
Barclays Capital in first Leba carbon index trade
Barclays Capital has completed the first financial carbon trade using the new Leba Carbon Index for "a significant volume" of EU emissions allowances.
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
Reuters launches order-routing system for commodities
Global information company Reuters has launched Reuters Order Routing for Commodities (RORC), a new trading solution for the European energy market.
Icap-Hyde hires Toyne to head tanker FFA broking
Icap-Hyde, a London-based joint forward freight and shipping derivatives-broking venture between broker Icap and shipping broker JE Hyde, has added to its team. Simon Toyne has joined as director of tanker forward freight agreements (FFAs), responsible…
Battle for Brent rages on as open outcry closes at IPE
Open outcry at London’s IPE had its last day on Thursday, yet the debate over whether the screen can adequately replicate an oil market rages on, with IPE and Nymex both taking a punt on opposing beliefs.
Nord Pool hires ex-Natsource brokers, eyes power spread contract
Nordic power exchange Nord Pool has hired brokers from the Oslo office of energy broker Natsource, which would fit with rumours that Natsource is closing its Scandinavian business. Natsource president Jack Cogen declined to comment.
Nymex to launch gas oil futures in Dublin
The New York Mercantile Exchange (Nymex) has said it will launch a northwest Europe gas oil futures contract in Dublin on Friday April 8.
Nymex launches gas oil futures in Dublin
The New York Mercantile Exchange (Nymex) has said it will launch a northwest Europe gas oil futures contract in Dublin on Friday April 8.
Carbon copycats
The EU emissions trading scheme, which started in January this year, is already attracting the attention of hedge funds, who see opportunities in this developing and less crowded market, finds Solomon Teague
Clearer signals ahead
Estimating CO2 prices in the first Kyoto budget period of 2008–2012 is now a key risk-management challenge for utility analysts. Abyd Karmali, Sebastian Foot and Nazim Osmancik look at what is likely to drive prices in this period