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From:exchangeinfo@nymex.com
To:tana.jones@enron.com
Subject:(00-421)Reminder of Price Fluctuation Limits Applicable to Trading
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Date:Wed, 13 Dec 2000 07:12:00 -0800 (PST)

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Notice No. 00-421
December 12, 2000

MEMORANDUM

TO: ALL NYMEX AND COMEX MEMBERS

FROM: Neal L. Wolkoff
Executive Vice President

DATE: December 12, 2000

RE: Reminder of Price Fluctuation Limits Applicable to Trading on NYMEX=20
ACCESS

The purpose of this Notice is to remind Members and Member Firms that an=20
Executive Committee Resolution that was ratified by the Board of Directors=
=20
and that concerns Exchange price fluctuation limit rules as those rules app=
ly=20
to trading on NYMEX ACCESS (Resolution), remains in effect and will=
=20
continue until February 1, 2001, unless Members are notified otherwise by t=
he=20
Exchange.

As background, on October 6, 2000, the Exchange issued a Notice to Members=
=20
(#347), advising Members and Member Firms that the CFTC had approved this=
=20
Resolution. The Resolution, which became effective with the commencement o=
f=20
the NYMEX ACCESS session on Sunday, October 8, 2000, has amended on=
a=20
temporary basis a number of Exchange price fluctuation limit rules as those=
=20
rules apply to trading on NYMEX ACCESS. The Resolution is included=
=20
below.

The Resolution was issued so as to ensure the successful reimplementation o=
f=20
the new implied order functionality on NYMEX ACCESS. By=20
significantly expanding the price fluctuation limits applicable to trading=
=20
activity occurring on NYMEX ACCESS, the Resolution reduces the=20
possibility that a price limit would be triggered by the implied=20
functionality.

The Resolution amends, on a temporary basis, Exchange price fluctuation lim=
it=20
rules - but only with respect to market activity occurring on NYMEX=20
ACCESS.

Thus, the new price limits that went into effect last week for Natural Gas=
=20
are further expanded as provided by the terms of the Resolution.

The Resolution amends the Exchange=01,s price fluctuation limit rules with=
=20
regard to trading on NYMEX ACCESS in four ways:

(1) The initial and subsequent price fluctuation limits (for each Exchange=
=20
futures contract that has such limits) are expanded to 200% of the initial=
=20
and subsequent price fluctuation limits applicable to the first two contrac=
t=20
months for energy contracts, or to the first contract month with limits in=
=20
effect for metals contracts, of that futures contract under the applicable=
=20
rule.

(2) This expanded limit (e.g., 200% of the limits for the front two months=
=20
for energy contracts) is applicable to all contract months for that futures=
=20
contract.

(3) In the event that an expanded price limit was touched by a bid or offer=
,=20
trading on NYMEX ACCESS generally would be halted immediately, rath=
er=20
than requiring the market to trade at that price for five minutes. During t=
he=20
last 90 minutes of a NYMEX ACCESS session, the market would be halt=
ed=20
only far as long as it takes for the system to incorporate expanded price=
=20
limits.

(4) As a clarification, the Resolution suspends use of certain =01&haircuts=
=018=20
narrowing price limits based on notional settlement prices. Specifically,=
=20
NYMEX Rule 6.56 (Settlement Prices and Price Fluctuation Limits for NYMEX=
=20
ACCESS) establishes the use of notional settlement prices as the ba=
se=20
point for price limits (until the actual settlement prices from the RTH=20
session can be input into the system.) NYMEX ACCESS will continue =
to=20
use such notional settlement prices under the Resolution. However, Rule 6.=
56=20
reduces applicable price limits by certain specified percentages during the=
=20
period when notional settlement prices are used as the base point for=20
establishing limits. Such =01&haircuts=018 are not being used under the Res=
olution;=20
the Exchange will resume use of such haircuts following the expiration of t=
he=20
Resolution.

Finally, the Resolution also clarifies one aspect of existing Exchange=20
practice. In the event that a contract trading on NYMEX ACCESS=20
traded for five minutes at a price fluctuation limit applicable to Regular=
=20
Trading Hours (RTH) trading, then the RTH session would open with expanded=
=20
price fluctuation limits as provided under the applicable rule. This=20
practice will continue to be followed during the period when the Resolution=
=20
is in effect, even though there had been no temporary cessation of trading=
=20
during the NYMEX ACCESS trading session because the market had not=
=20
hit the expanded limits applicable only to NYMEX ACCESS.


* * * *
As noted, these temporary amendments to the Exchange=01,s price limits shal=
l=20
expire on February 1, 2001, unless Members are notified otherwise by the=20
Exchange.
* * * *

If you have any questions, please contact Stu Homler, Director, NYMEX=20
ACCESS Operations, NYMEX ACCESS Department, at (212)=20
299-2754, Matt Morano, NYMEX ACCESS Department, at (212) 299-2679, =
or=20
Brian Regan, Senior Associate General Counsel, at (212) 299-2207.

APPROVED RESOLUTION OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS REGARDING PRICE
FLUCTUATION LIMITS FOR EXCHANGE CONTRACTS

The Executive Committee of the Board of Directors hereby

Resolves that, until further notice, the price fluctuation limit rules for=
=20
each futures contract that is listed for trading on NYMEX ACCESSc and that=
=20
has such applicable rules shall continue in effect except as amended below=
=20
with regard to market activity occurring on NYMEX ACCESSc:

The initial and subsequent price fluctuation limits (for each Exchange=20
futures contract that has such limits) shall be expanded to 200% of the=20
initial and subsequent price fluctuation limits applicable to the first two=
=20
contract months of that futures contract that have price limits under the=
=20
applicable rule.

This expanded limit (200% of the limits for the first two months with limit=
s)=20
shall be applicable to all contract months for that futures contract.

In the event that such a price fluctuation limit is reached by a bona fide=
=20
bid at the high price fluctuation limit or a bona fide offer at the low pri=
ce=20
fluctuation limit, trading on NYMEX ACCESSc shall be halted immediately=20
except as directed otherwise by the President or the President=01,s designe=
e. =20
Following resumption of trading, the price limits in effect shall be 200% o=
f=20
the limits applicable to RTH trading. In the event that a limit is touched=
=20
during the last 90 minutes of a NYMEX ACCESSc session, the market shall be=
=20
halted briefly, and price limits shall be expanded thereafter

In addition, in the event that a contract trading on NYMEX ACCESSc traded f=
or=20
five minutes during the NYMEX ACCESS session at a price fluctuation=
=20
limit applicable to the Regular Trading Hours session, then the RTH session=
=20
shall open with expanded price fluctuation limits as provided under the=20
applicable rule, even though no temporary cessation of trading occurred=20
during the NYMEX ACCESSc trading session.




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