New York, N.Y., October 3, 2005 — The New York Mercantile Exchange, Inc., today announced that it will introduce a New York Harbor reformulated gasoline blendstock for oxygenate blending (RBOB) options contract for open outcry trading, beginning on October 10.

The RBOB options contract (OB) will trade in the same trading ring as the existing New York Harbor unleaded gasoline options contract, from 10:05 AM until 2:30 PM.

The contract will initially be listed for 12 consecutive monthly contracts, beginning with the January 2006 contract through to the December 2006 contract. The options are “American style” so exercise can occur any business day prior to expiration. The contracts will expire three business days before the expiration of a long underlying New York Harbor RBOB gasoline futures contract.

The narrow interval for strike prices will be listed at $0.0100 intervals and it will be listed 20 above and below the at-the-money option. The wide interval for strike prices will be listed at $0.05 intervals and will be listed five above the highest and lowest $.01 increment. Minimum price fluctuations will be $.0001 per gallon and all clearing and transaction fees are identical to other floor traded options.

Forward Looking and Cautionary Statements
This press release may contain forward–looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act, with respect to our future performance, operating results, strategy, and other future events. Such statements generally include words such as could, can, anticipate, believe, expect, seek, pursue, and similar words and terms, in connection with any discussion of future results. Forward–looking statements involve a number of assumptions, risks, and uncertainties, any of which may cause actual results to differ materially from the anticipated, estimated, or projected results referenced in forward–looking statements. In particular, the forward–looking statements of NYMEX Holdings, Inc., and its subsidiaries are subject to the following risks and uncertainties: the success and timing of new futures contracts and products; changes in political, economic, or industry conditions; the unfavorable resolution of material legal proceedings; the impact and timing of technological changes and the adequacy of intellectual property protection; the impact of legislative and regulatory actions, including without limitation, actions by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission; and terrorist activities and international hostilities, which may affect the general economy as well as oil and other commodity markets. We assume no obligation to update or supplement our forward–looking statements.