Policy risk
Canadian energy firms anxious over trade reporting proposals
With oil-rich Alberta and four other provinces set to finalise a joint rule on trade reporting by year-end, Canadian energy firms are hoping that regulators resolve troublesome issues with the definition of a ‘dealer' and the handling of trades with US…
BP mulls restructuring of trading unit over Mifid II
Oil major BP expects it will need a Mifid II licence for some trading activities, which may prompt the creation of a new entity to comply with the incoming EU rules
Note to Brussels: energy firms are not banks
The Mifid II push to impose capital requirements on commodities firms rests on faulty logic
Mifid II sparks frantic lobbying push by EU energy firms
European energy firms are mounting a last-minute attempt to effect changes to Mifid II even as the legislative process enters its final stages. If the effort fails, a dramatic retreat from commodity derivatives markets could be in the works, Stella…
Surveillance of EU energy markets set to increase
Regulators expect to make major advances in EU wholesale energy market monitoring now that trade reporting has begun, but some participants fear that different approaches across borders will lead to inconsistent enforcement
CFTC to finish position limits rule in 2016, Massad says
Controversial rule on commodity derivatives set to miss year-end target
Centrica CRO keeps watchful eye on new regulation
Managing all Centrica's financial risk is a challenging task, and one that is made increasingly complicated by regulation, chief risk officer Olivier Herbelot tells Mark Pengelly
Mifid II commodity rules agreed at 'last minute', officials say
Provisions in Mifid II that would hit energy and commodities firms received "the least consideration and scrutiny" in the entire package, says one regulator
Q&A: Ferc’s Norman Bay on market manipulation, polar vortexes
In an exclusive interview, the new chairman of the US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission rejects criticism of the agency’s enforcement actions
Asia end-user of the year: Bharat Petroleum
The Indian national oil company has risen to the challenge of dealing with market and regulatory risk in the past 18 months
EU energy firms brace for Remit reporting woes
Market participants expect ‘teething problems’ as Remit trade reporting begins on October 7, while regulators offer sympathy and suggest they will go easy to enforcement
Alberta energy regulator urges firms to boost compliance
Official with Alberta’s Market Surveillance Administrator touts self-reporting of violations and plugs public shaming of chief executives as ‘amazingly motivating’
Top US energy regulator defends market manipulation probes
Ferc chairman Norman Bay says the agency has provided ‘a lot of clarity’ of the definition of market manipulation, rejecting complaints from industry that the rules are unclear
Energy firms blast new Mifid II rules on commodities
Energy firms will abandon commodity derivatives markets if the EU fails to broaden ancillary business exemption, industry groups warn
Vendors slam ‘uncooperative’ energy exchanges over Remit
Exchanges maintain tight grip on data amid new EU reporting regime for power and gas markets, disappointing some market participants
Probes of EU energy market abuse set to jump with Remit
The October 7 launch of Remit trade reporting is expected to spark a flurry of new investigations into suspected abuse of EU power and gas markets
US gas price reporting drop raises questions about indexes
Jitters about regulatory risk have caused a growing number of energy firms to stop reporting their US natural gas trades to Platts and other index publishers. As reported transaction volumes fall, can the indexes still be trusted?
CFTC’s Giancarlo backs phased approach to position limits
The CFTC should implement speculative position limits for the spot month first, before imposing non-spot-month limits, says commissioner Chris Giancarlo
Energy firms concerned by Mifid II ‘ability test’
The definition of a financial instrument under Mifid II and the structure of two key exemptions are worrying energy trading firms such as utilities
Energy market liquidity faces threat from regulation
Financial reforms such as Mifid II could undermine years of progress by governments, regulators and industry aimed at building liquid and transparent European energy markets
Report highlights decline in US gas price reporting
Fewer US energy firms are reporting gas trades to Platts and other index publishers, amid shifts in market structure and fears of regulatory risk
Mifid II adjustments fail to ease energy firms' worries
Energy firms such as utilities are fighting hard to avoid being regulated under Mifid II and having to comply with onerous EU financial rules. But despite last-minute changes to regulators’ proposed technical standards, the chances of escape appear slim
Market participants worry for European energy liquidity
Banks, energy firms and regulators expressed concern about the impact of regulation on EU energy market liquidity at Energy Risk Summit Europe on June 24 and 25
EU power traders rail against national interventions
Interventions by national governments in areas such as capacity and renewables are hampering the EU electricity market, complained panellists at Energy Risk Summit Europe