Market risk
Looking to the east
Can power market operators in the new EU member states in eastern Europe gainthe liquidity they need to challenge either bilateral electricity contracts orthe established exchanges? Joe Marsh reports
Putin’s endgame
The geopolitical premium on oil prices is rising as Russia pursues its ‘oligarchs’. Catherine Lacoursiere reports on the wider effects of Russian oil giant Yukos’ collapse
Dealings in diesel
In the latest in a series of articles in which Energy Risk profiles energy users’ risk management and hedging strategies, Joe Marsh talks to US rail company Amtrakabout how it deals with its fuel exposures
All systems go
More than 450 of you voted and voiced your concerns in Energy Risk’s inaugural User Choice Awards. Below we show which suppliers you voted for as top of their field in the energy business this year
Huberator’s hopes
APX and Fluxys subsidiary Huberator are planning to launch a gas exchange forthe Zeebrugge hub in early 2005. But is an exchange really needed by the tradingcommunity? Paul Lyon reports
APGA supports Ferc decision to fine three companies
The American Public Gas Association (APGA) has applauded the US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Ferc) for its decision to fine three energy companies $8.1 million for sharing natural gas storage inventory data with their customers and affiliates. …
Viva lost vegas
Brett Humphreys discusses the problems of calculating true value-at-risk on aconcentrated options portfolio – in particular, the various pitfalls thatcan befall a risk manager in ignoring vega risk – and considers ways ofhandling these issues
A decent exposure
Most energy companies have a portfolio of over-the-counter energy derivativesthat could have significant credit exposures. In this paper, RafaelMendible examines the credit exposure of these derivatives, its relationto volatility,and its relation to…
Vertical take-off
As UK supplier Centrica narrows its focus to fund an asset acquisition spree, James Ockenden finds the ‘asset-light’ utility model has finallybeen buried and a move towards ‘vertical integration’ is now thestrategy of choice
Building load links
In the third article in this series, Les Clewlow , ChrisStrickland and MichaelBooth show how the Monte Carlo techniques used in previous articles can accuratelyhighlight the crucial relationship between price and load – a complex correlationaffecting the…
Edison Mission sells off foreign power assets, posts Q2 loss
California-based Edison Mission Energy is to sell its remaining foreign generation assets to London-based generator International Power and Japanese trader Mitsui & Co for $2.3 billion. International Power will take a 70% stake and Mitsui a 30% stake of…
DrKW forms energy trading business
Investment bank Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein (DrKW) has formed a London-based energy trading business, headed by Neil Rothwell.
BNZ enters energy trading
The Bank of New Zealand (BNZ) has launched an energy risk management desk. The plan is to target the bank’s corporate client base who need hedging solutions for their energy, base metals and agricultural commodities exposures, said Wayne Jolly, BNZ’s…
US regulator doles out Enron fines
The US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has hit Enron and its former trader Hunter Shively with $35 million and $300,000 in civil fines respectively for gas price manipulation.
Wolverine to be market maker for Japanese weather futures
Wolverine Trading, the Chicago-based energy trading company, will be the lead market maker for Japanese weather futures soon to be offered by the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME).
Trading master agreement updated for UK power
The London-based Futures and Options Association (FOA) has released new standardised power trading documentation for the UK.
Top energy software vendors to be revealed
Energy traders have just one day left to vote in the biggest ever poll of energy technology users, the Energy Risk User Choice Awards 2004.
CME appoints lead market maker for fertiliser futures
Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME ) yesterday said that Agriliance will be the lead market maker for the exchange’s new fertiliser contracts traded on Globex, the exchange’s electronic trading platform. Minnesota-based Agriliance markets crop nutrients,…
Industrials lack price risk skills, says risk advisor
Outsourcing of price risk management will be a major growth area over the next few years, as industrial companies lack the skills required to manage their commodity risk, according to Chris Bowden, chief executive of price risk services firm Utilyx.
APX restructures and hires senior staff
APX Group, which provides exchanges for natural gas and power trading across northwest Europe, will move London-based power exchange UKPX’s forwards market onto its own system on August 18. The group has also made several senior appointments following…
Newsome leaves CFTC to head up Nymex
James Newsome has quit as chairman of the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to head up the New York Mercantile Exchange (Nymex). Newsome’s resignation is effective from July 23, and he will be president of Nymex from August 2, replacing Bo…
Technology upload
There has been a recent upswing in the fortunes of energy risk software industry. And that is reflected in this year’s expanded technology vendor guide, making it the definitive guide to energy software and technology available
Bucking the trend
Openlink’s founder Coleman Fung talks to James Ockenden about the decisionsthat have promoted his company to one of the leading risk management solutionproviders