Nymex To Change Margins for Crude Oil, Gasoline, Heating Oil, And Other Related Futures Contracts

The New York Mercantile Exchange, Inc., today announced margin changes for its light, sweet crude oil futures, WTI crude oil calendar swap futures, Brent crude oil futures, Brent crude oil calendar swap futures, NYMEX miNY^sm crude oil, gasoline, New York Harbor gasoline calendar swap, heating oil, and New York Harbor heating oil calendar swap futures contracts, effective at the close of business tomorrow.

The margins for light, sweet crude oil futures, WTI crude oil calendar swap futures, Brent crude oil futures, and Brent crude oil calendar swap futures contracts for November 2005 to July 2006 will decrease to $3,500 from $4,500 for clearing members, to $3,850 from $4,950 for members, and to $4,725 from $6,075 for customers. Margins for August 2006 to December 2006 will increase to $3,500 from $2,500 for clearing members, to $3,850 from $2,750 for members, and to $4,725 from $3,375 for customers. Margins for all other months will remain unchanged.

The margins for the NYMEX miNY^sm crude oil futures contract for November 2005 to December 2006 will decrease to $1,750 from $2,250 for clearing members, to $1,925 from $2,475 for members, and to $2,363 from $3,038 for customers. Margins on all other months will remain unchanged.

The margins for the November and December 2005 gasoline futures and New York Harbor gasoline calendar swap futures contracts will decrease to $7,000 from $10,000 for clearing members, to $7,700 from $11,000 for members, and to $9,450 from $13,500 for customers.

The margins for the gasoline futures and New York Harbor gasoline calendar swap futures for all other months will decrease to $6,000 from $8,000 for clearing members, to $6,600 from $8,800 for members, and to $8,100 from $10,800 for customers.

Margins on the first month of the heating oil and New York Harbor heating oil swap futures contract will decrease to $6,500 from $8,000 for clearing members, to $7,150 from $8,800 for members, and to $8,775 from $10,800 for customers. Margins on the second to sixth months will decrease to $6,000 from $7,000 for clearing members, to $6,600 from $7,700 for members, and to $8,100 from $9,450 for customers. Margins on the seventh to 11th months will decrease to $5,500 from $6,000 for clearing members, to $6,050 from $6,600 for members, and to $7,425 from $8,100 for customers. Margins on all other months will decrease to $5,000 from $5,500 for clearing members, to $5,500 from $6,050 for members, and to $6,750 from $7,425 for customers.