RWE Energie Is Market Maker For 12-Month Futures In EEX Derivatives Market - Total Fina Elf And Acton New Participants At EEX

As of September 25, RWE Trading GmbH, Essen, will support trading in 12-month futures as a market-maker in the EEX derivatives market, as EEX reported on Tuesday. RWE Trading quotes binding bid and ask prices for 75 percent of the trading time in the trading of 12-month futures on base-load and peak-load blocks. The maximum spread is 25 eurocents, the minimum quantity is 25 contracts. EEX anticipates further increases in liquidity due to the activity by RWE Trading.

Futures trading at EEX, which also offers spot trading in electricity, is the first and only German exchange-based futures market for electricity, and has been in operation since March 1, 2001. On September 10, EEX launched 12-month futures for the next three years of delivery. The exchange has offered futures with one-month terms since the market was launched. Three-month (quarter-end) futures are to be introduced before the year is out.

In addition, EEX has admitted Total Fina Elf Gas and Power Ltd., London, and Acton Energy GmbH, Frankfurt, as new participants to the spot and futures market. This brings the total number of market participants in the integrated electricity market at EEX to 59, making EEX the largest integrated electricity exchange in continental Europe.