Nymex To Revise NYMEX ACCESS® Trading Hours, Introduce Outright Trading For Four Crude Oil Contracts

The New York Mercantile Exchange, Inc., will introduce outright trading for its Mars blend crude oil; Louisiana light, sweet crude oil; West Texas sour crude oil; and West Texas Intermediate– Midland crude oil futures contracts beginning on Monday, January 17, 2005 (for trade date Tuesday, January 18).

The contracts, which will be traded on the NYMEX ACCESS® electronic trading platform, will be available to trade as outrights beginning at 3:15 PM on Mondays through Thursdays and concluding at 12 noon the following day. On Sundays, the session begins at 7 PM.

These contracts will continue to be available for spread trading with the NYMEX Division light, sweet crude oil futures contract from 3:15 PM on Mondays to Thursdays, concluding at 9:30 AM the following day. On Sundays, the session begins at 7 PM.

Previously, spread trading based was available from 3:15 PM on Mondays through Thursdays and concluded at 1 PM the following day.