Market risk
Regulation rethink
Calls for more regulation of the US power markets have subsided recently as fuel prices drop, and experts predict that a hybrid system of lighter regulation coupled with market-based pricing will become the new model across the country. Pauline McCallion…
All Clear?
Despite a recent large increase in volumes, clearing for commodities remains a contentious issue, with little agreement on what the best business model should be, and insufficient standardisation, say market participants. Rachel Morison investigates
Solar Power - Dark times for solar power
This year looks tough for solar power, with Spain, the largest market in 2008, capping new production. Finding private financing is harder, making clear feed-in tariff policies essential, finds Vanya Dragomanovich
Agora-X launches OTC platform for energy and metals
Agora-X, an electronic trading platform, has launched a new platform for the negotiation, execution and clearing of over-the-counter (OTC) trades in energy and metal contracts.
Outlook positive for commodities investors
Investors are bullish about commodities in the long term, according Barcap's annual investor survey, with 79% of participants planning to initiate or increase their exposure to commodities over the next three years.
Scotia Capital acquires part of UBS Energy
Scotia Capital, a subsidiary of Scotiabank, today announced the acquisition of assets and employees from UBS Energy, a unit of UBS AG.
S&P GSCI Index Commodity Swaps to clear on CME ClearPort
Standard & Poor's has signed a licensing agreement with CME Group to clear swaps on the S&P GSCI Excess Return Index.
Reliant sells Texas business to NRG and posts fourth quarter loss
In addition to the sale of its Texas retail business to NRG Energy for $287.5m, Reliant Energy has announced fourth quarter losses, including $177m from energy derivatives.
ICE offers margin offsets on coal and emissions contracts
ICE Futures Europe has introduced margin offsets between its Coal Futures and Emissions contracts.
VTB Capital enters steam coal market
Russian bank VTB Capital has joined coal trading marketplace globalCOAL to develop its risk management operations in the Pacific region steam coal market.
Centrica invests in 60 bcf gas storage facility
British utility Centrica will develop the UK's second largest gas storage facility through the acquisition of a controlling interest in the Baird gas field project in the southern North Sea.
Icap clears first ag swap through ICE
Interdealer broker Icap has executed the first ever cleared agricultural swap transaction through IntercontinentalExchange clearing house ICE Clear US. Regulatory approval for such transactions was granted by the CFTC in December last year.
CFTC acts to shut out grain futures speculators
The US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has approved new rules designed to reduce distortions in the soft commodity futures markets caused by speculative activity.
Deutsche Bank joins DME as clearing member
The Dubai Mercantile Exchange's membership committee has today approved Deutsche Bank as the 22nd clearing member of the exchange.
Eurex to launch commodity index futures in March
Eurex will be the first European exchange to offer trading in commodity index derivatives with the launch of four new contracts on March 30.
CME launches electricity futures contracts
CME Group has announced 34 new PJM, ISO electricity swap futures contracts will begin trading on the exchange from 22 February for trade date of 23 February 2009.
Asian airlines struggle with volatile oil prices
A major contributor to the large fuel-hedging losses suffered by Chinese and Taiwanese airlines for 2008 were collar strategies - the purchase of call options and simultaneous sale of put options. But some Asian carriers, such as Malaysia's Air Asia and…
US and European firms in bid for LCH
A consortium of major US and European financial institutions is lining up a bid for London-based derivatives clearing house LCH.Clearnet. Deutsche Bank is acting as adviser on the acquisition, as well as being part of the bidding group.
ASX to launch coal and power futures
The Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) is to list thermal coal futures and options on April 21. It will also launch New Zealand electricity futures on 28 April and natural gas futures contracts for the state of Victoria on 5 May.
Nymex to list Henry Hub financial last day options
CME Group is to list Henry Hub natural gas financial last day options on its subsidiary New York Mercantile Exchange (Nymex). The options are scheduled to begin trading on February 22 for trade date February 23.
Spanish power price drops 30% on plunging demand
Spanish baseload electricity prices on power exchange Omel fell by 12.6% in January to an average of €49.93 per megawatt hour, marking a 30% drop in the past 4 months.