NEW YORK, Feb. 14 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- NYMEX Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: NMX), the parent company of the New York Mercantile Exchange, Inc., the world's largest physical commodities futures and options exchange, today announced average daily volume for January 2008 of 1.739 million contracts, a 6% increase from 1.637 million contracts per day in January 2007.

NYMEX electronic volume on the CME Globex® electronic trading platform was 743,337 contracts per day and represented a 19% increase over 624,741 contracts per day in January 2007 electronic volume on CME Globex. NYMEX floor-traded energy futures and options averaged 236,028 contracts per day for January 2008.

COMEX electronic volume on CME Globex averaged 209,228 contracts per day and represented a 163% increase over the 79,681 contracts per day in January 2007 electronic volume on CME Globex. NYMEX launched side by side trading of physically delivered futures for its COMEX division metals on CME Globex during open outcry hours on December 3, 2006. COMEX floor-traded average daily volume was 54,329 contracts for January 2008.

Average daily volume on NYMEX ClearPort® was 401,943 contracts for January 2008, compared to 417,638 for January 2007. The remaining volume of 94,559 trades per day consisted of other transactions which include position transfers and exchanges.

Rolling Average Rate Per Contract -- The three month rolling average gross rate per contract for the period November through January 2008 was $1.49, while the average net rolling rate per contract, including direct transaction costs, for the same period was $1.25. January rates per contract and direct transaction costs are estimated (see Note below).

Final December Rate Per Contract -- The following represents the final December 2007 rates per contract after adjustments to the estimated rate per contract we provided last month. Gross average rate per contract across all venues in December 2007 was $1.44, while the net average rate per contract, including direct transaction costs, was $1.19. This is compared to gross average rate per contract of $1.44, and a net average rate per contract of $1.16 for December 2006. Direct transaction costs were $6.670 million for December 2007 versus $6.370 million for December 2006.

Estimated January Rate Per Contract -- The following January average rates per contract are estimated (see Note below). Gross average rate per contract across all venues in January 2008 was $1.56, while the net average rate per contract, including direct transaction costs, was $1.31. This is compared to gross average rate per contract of $1.51, and a net average rate per contract of $1.25 for January 2007. Direct transaction costs were an estimated $9.145 million for January 2008 versus $8.559 million for January 2007.

Note: Because we are providing an additional level of up-to-date information regarding our recent monthly rates per contract, our volumes and rates press releases will be issued within approximately seven to eight business days after the end of the month. Also, the estimated figures are preliminary and may change due to the fact that the last days of the month have not been finalized and are thus subject to adjustments and corrections. Average daily volume is based on 21 trading days for January 2008 and 20 days for January 2007.

About NYMEX Holdings, Inc.

NYMEX Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: NMX) is the parent company of the New York Mercantile Exchange, Inc., the world's largest physical commodities exchange, offering futures and options trading in energy and metals contracts and clearing services for more than 350 off-exchange energy contracts.

Through a hybrid model of open outcry floor trading and electronic trading on CME Globex® and NYMEX ClearPort®, NYMEX offers crude oil, petroleum products, natural gas, coal, electricity, gold, silver, copper, aluminum, platinum group metals, emissions, and soft commodities contracts for trading and clearing virtually 24 hours each day.

Further information about NYMEX Holdings, Inc. and the New York Mercantile Exchange, Inc. is available on the NYMEX website at http://www.nymex.com/.

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.

                             -Tables Follow-



  JANUARY AVERAGE DAILY VOLUME
  Venue                                            2008              2007
  NYMEX floor                                    236,028           395,532
  NYMEX electronic                               743,337           624,741
  COMEX floor                                     54,329            64,280
  COMEX electronic                               209,228            79,681
  NYMEX ClearPort®                               401,923           417,638
  Other                                           94,559            54,862
  Total                                        1,739,404         1,636,734



  THREE MONTH ROLLING AVERAGE DAILY VOLUME
  (For the period November 2007 through January 2008)
  Venue                                            2008              2007
  NYMEX floor                                    221,641           351,553
  NYMEX electronic                               700,812           465,048
  COMEX floor                                     47,225            73,676
  COMEX electronic                               174,270            41,037
  NYMEX ClearPort®                               338,379           331,791
  Other                                          107,987            73,533
  Total                                        1,590,314         1,336,638



  DECEMBER 2007 AVERAGE RATES PER CONTRACT
  Venue                                           Net RPC
  NYMEX floor                                      $1.46
  NYMEX electronic                                 $0.90
  COMEX floor                                      $1.38
  COMEX electronic                                 $1.06
  NYMEX ClearPort®                                 $1.44
  Other                                            $1.75
  Total Average Net Rate                           $1.19
  Direct Transaction Cost                          $0.25
  Total Average Gross Rate                         $1.44



  THREE MONTH ROLLING AVERAGE RATES PER CONTRACT
  (For the period October through December 2007)
  Venue                                           Net RPC
  NYMEX floor                                      $1.47
  NYMEX electronic                                 $0.92
  COMEX floor                                      $1.46
  COMEX electronic                                 $1.26
  NYMEX ClearPort®                                 $1.51
  Other                                            $1.81
  Total Average Net Rate                           $1.23
  Direct Transaction Cost                          $0.24
  Total Average Gross Rate                         $1.47



  JANUARY 2008 ESTIMATED AVERAGE RATES PER CONTRACT
  Venue                                           Net RPC
  NYMEX floor                                      $1.62
  NYMEX electronic                                 $1.06
  COMEX floor                                      $1.55
  COMEX electronic                                 $1.29
  NYMEX ClearPort®                                 $1.44
  Other                                            $1.83
  Total Average Net Rate                           $1.31
  Direct Transaction Cost                          $0.25
  Total Average Gross Rate                         $1.56



  THREE MONTH ROLLING ESTIMATED AVERAGE RATES PER CONTRACT
  (For the period November 2007 through January 2008)
  Venue                                           Net RPC
  NYMEX floor                                      $1.52
  NYMEX electronic                                 $0.95
  COMEX floor                                      $1.49
  COMEX electronic                                 $1.28
  NYMEX ClearPort®                                 $1.48
  Other                                            $1.81
  Total Average Net Rate                           $1.25
  Direct Transaction Cost                          $0.24
  Total Average Gross Rate                         $1.49

SOURCE: NYMEX Holdings, Inc.

CONTACT: Investors, Keil Decker, +1-212-299-2209, or Media, Anu
Ahluwalia, +1-212-299-2439, both of NYMEX Holdings, Inc.

Web site: http://www.nymex.com/