News Centre

Platts To Unveil 2013 Top 250 Global Energy Company Rankings On October 29 Annual Roster And New “Asia CEO Of The Year” To Be Announced At Singapore Dinner

Date 09/09/2013

Platts, a leading global provider of energy, petrochemicals and metals information, will announce its 2013 Top 250 Global Energy Company Rankings™ on October 29 during Singapore International Energy Week (SIEW), an annual series of events addressing pertinent energy issues.  The Platts Top 250 Rankings, now in their 12th year, will be unveiled at the company’s Asia Awards Dinner to be held this year at The Fullerton Hotel, Singapore.

CFTC Announces That The Third Phase Of Mandatory Clearing Of Certain Credit Default Swaps And Interest Rate Swaps Begins Today

Date 09/09/2013

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s (Commission) Division of Clearing and Risk (Division) reminds all swaps market participants that the third phase of required clearing for certain credit default swaps (CDS) and interest rate swaps begins today. Accounts managed by third-party investment managers, ERISA pension plans, and entities that were not subject to the Commission’s first two implementation deadlines are required to begin clearing CDS and interest rate swaps that are executed on or after September 9, 2013.

Legal Entity Identifier – Irish Stock Exchange Web Portal Open For Registration

Date 09/09/2013

All financial organisations, including listed legal entities, will need to comply with the new global Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) requirements in order to manage counterparty risk.

CFTC Publishes Concept Release On Risk Controls And System Safeguards For Automated Trading Environments

Date 09/09/2013

The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (Commission) today approved for publication in the Federal Register a Concept Release on Risk Controls and System Safeguards for Automated Trading Environments (Concept Release).

S&P GSCI Strong Commodity Indices Performance In August 2013

Date 09/09/2013

KEY HIGHLIGHTS

• All five sectors of the S&P GSCI had positive returns in August, driving the index up 3.4% MTD — now in positive territory for the year, up 2.6%.
• S&P GSCI Precious Metals was the best performing sector, up 7.9% MTD, due to political tensions in Syria. During the month, silver was the best performing commodity in the index, up 19.5%, recording the best August in its history.
• S&P GSCI Energy also benefited from the oil supply concerns from Syria, driving the sector index up 4.0% for the month.
• Hot and dry weather in the U.S. Midwest was another major fundamental driving commodities in August, which pushed S&P GSCI Soybeans up 12.5%—its thirdbest August since 1970.
• Sugar and coffee, down 3.7% and 4.0%, respectively , were the worst performers of the month thanks to pressure from record harvests.

CFTC Commissioner Bart Chilton’s Statement Of Concurrence Regarding Concept Release On Risk Controls And System Safeguards For Automated Trading Environments

Date 09/09/2013

While I concur in the concept release, am most appreciative of the staff work, and am largely pleased at the result, this has taken far too long to come to fruition.

S&P Dow Jones-UBS Commodity Index Market Attributes Report

Date 09/09/2013

KEY HIGHLIGHTS

• Except for DJ-UBS Softs, all the sectors posted gains for the month, with the DJ- UBS CI coming in at 3.4%.
• The DJ-UBS Precious Metals was the best performing sector in August, up 9.3%.
• DJ-UBS Energy was the second-best performing sector, up 3.1% with petroleum up 3.5%.
• DJ-UBS Grains rose 2.9% in August, driven by weather conditions and fundamentals, while the DJ-UBS Softs declined 3.3% due to ample crop supplies.

CFTC Commissioner Scott O’Malia’s Statement Of Concurrence Regarding Concept Release On Risk Controls And System Safeguards For Automated Trading Environments

Date 09/09/2013

During my time at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“Commission”), I have consistently emphasized that the Commission must have a strong understanding of today’s highly automated and interconnected trading environments in order to oversee its markets effectively. As head of the Commission’s Technology Advisory Committee (“TAC”), I have committed considerable TAC time and resources to strengthening our understanding of automated markets. I am grateful for all the hard work of the TAC members as well as the efforts of the members of the Subcommittee on Data Standardization and the Subcommittee on Automated and High Frequency Trading, who have devoted hours of work on issues related to automated trading systems and pre-trade functionality. I hope that this Concept Release, and in particular the public comments the Commission receives in response, will build on this work.

SEC Halts Florida-Based Prime Bank Investment Scheme

Date 09/09/2013

The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced charges and an emergency asset freeze against a Miami-based attorney and other perpetrators of a prime bank investment scheme that promised exorbitant returns from a purported international trading program.

CFTC Chairman Gary Gensler’s Statement Of Support Concept Release On Risk Controls And System Safeguards For Automated Trading Environments

Date 09/09/2013

We have witnessed a fundamental shift in markets from human-based trading to highly automated electronic trading. Automated trading systems, including high frequency traders, enter the market and execute trades in a matter of milliseconds without human involvement. Electronic trading makes up over 91 percent of the futures market. The swaps market also is moving toward electronic trading.