Energy Risk/News
Barcap increases commodities appetite
Investment bank Barclays Capital has sharply increased its appetite for risk-taking in the first half of 2007, with all the new risk being taken in the commodities segment, according to Barcap reports.
CFTC: Amaranth manipulated gas prices
US futures market regulator alleges that the defunct hedge fund sought to influence the settlement price of Nymex natural gas futures by selling heavily during the closing range. David Watkins reports
Reports fuel supply fears
Upwardly revised oil price forecasts and recent reports from the International Energy Agency and the US National Petroleum Council point to growing unease about global energy supplies, writes David Watkins
Bank of America invests in Climate Exchange
As part of a ten year, $20 billion environmental initiative, Bank of America has established a joint venture with Climate Exchange (CLE) by acquiring 0.5% of CLE’s current issued share capital.
Wells Fargo to offer electricity price risk management, RECs
US financial services company Wells Fargo is to offer an electricity price hedging facility, enabling middle market companies to manage their power costs.
White House pushes for futures fees
The Bush Administration has requested that the House of Representatives approve a proposed transaction fee on futures and options contracts.
Crossed wires
The wholesale UK power market has struggled to attract liquidity from financial players. The Futures and Options Association's initiative to restructure the market is intended to solve these problems, but some established market players say they have…
Merrill Lynch introduces energy efficiency index
Investment bank Merrill Lynch has introduced a new index, comprised of 40 companies from industry sectors that may benefit from the global drive to improve energy efficiency, reduce carbon emissions and the cost of energy.
First oil futures curve ETFs to list on LSE
Within the next two weeks The London Stock Exchange (LSE) is expected to list the first exchange-traded funds (ETFs) exposed to parts of the oil futures curve.
“Enron Loophole” will soon be closed: Levin
Senator Carl Levin, who chairs the US Senate's permanent subcommittee on investigations, has said that he will soon introduce legislation that will increase regulatory scrutiny of the over-the-counter (OTC) markets.
Amaranth manipulated gas prices: CFTC
The US Commodity Futures Trading Commission has charged failed hedge fund Amaranth Advisors and its former head trader, Brian Hunter, with trying to manipulate natural gas futures prices.
SGX AsiaClear adds to OTC BOM contract suite
Singapore Exchange (SGX) has announced that SGX AsiaClear will offer the clearing of over-the-counter (OTC) balance-of-month (BOM) Dubai crude oil swap and kerosene swap contracts from August 2.
Trading begins on Prague Energy Exchange
The Prague Energy Exchange (PXE), a platform for trading electricity in the Czech Republic, launched successfully at 9am CET this morning, with ten participants trading physically delivered futures contracts dated monthly for the remainder of 2007.
WTI, Brent climb after IEA report
A report from the International Energy Agency (IEA) has called for the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to increase production in order to relieve market tightness going forward.
ICE completes ChemConnect acquisition
Electronic energy marketplace and soft commodity exchange IntercontinentalExchange (ICE) has closed on its acquisition of ChemConnect Incorporated’s commodity trading business.
Sempra Energy to partner with Royal Bank of Scotland
Sempra Energy today announced that it will form a joint venture with the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) to significantly expand Sempra Energy’s commodity-marketing business.
Nymex calls for full ICE regulation
The New York Mercantile Exchange (Nymex) has called for full regulation of its Atlanta-based rival IntercontinentalExchange (ICE) following a federal report which said that the current jurisdiction of federal regulators is not wide-ranging enough.