Energy firms scramble to avoid swap dealer label

Switching to futures and rewriting corporate websites could help reluctant energy companies avoid having to register as swap dealers under Dodd-Frank, reports Alexander Osipovich

Despite speculation some energy companies would be forced to register as swap dealers under the US Dodd-Frank Act, many firms appear determined to avoid the designation, with just one major trading house having registered by the time Energy Risk went to press.

As of February 22, a total of 77 companies had submitted applications to become swap dealers, according to the National Futures Association, the Chicago-based industry group that is handling the registration process. The vast majority of