Notice to Members
Notice No. 94
02/25/2003
Margin Rate and Intra-Commodity Straddle-Margin Rate Changes for Natural Gas Futures(NG), Henry Hub Swap (NN), and Natural Gas e-miNY (QG) Contracts
Effective Date: Wednesday, February 26, 2003 (close of business)
Futures Contracts: Natural Gas, Henry Hub Swap, and e-miNY Natural Gas Contracts
Contract Months: Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 NG and NN Contract Months, and all QG Contract Months

NYMEX Division Outright Margins on Natural Gas Futures (NG)
 
Clearing Member
Member Customer
Non-Member Customer
 
New
Old
New
Old
New
Old
Tier 1 (1st Nearby Month):
$9,000
$7,000
$9,900
$7,700
$12,150
$9,450
Tier 2 (2nd Nearby Month):
$9,000
$7,000
$9,900
$7,700
$12,150
$9,450
Tier 3 (3rd-6th Nearby Month):
$6,000
$5,000
$6,600
$5,500
$8,100
$6,750
Tier 4 (7th-12th Nearby Month):
$2,500
$2,500
$2,750
$2,750
$3,375
$3,375
Tier 5 (Greater than 12th Nearby):
$2,500
$2,500
$2,750
$2,750
$3,375
$3,375


NYMEX Division Outright Margins on Henry Hub Swap Futures (NN)
 
Clearing Member
Member Customer
Non-Member Customer
 
New
Old
New
Old
New
Old
Tier 1 (1st Nearby Month):
$2,250
$1,750
$2,475
$1,925
$3,038
$2,363
Tier 2 (2nd Nearby Month):
$2,250
$1,750
$2,475
$1,925
$3,038
$2,363
Tier 3 (3rd-6th Nearby Month):
$1,500
$1,250
$1,650
$1,375
$2,025
$1,688
Tier 4 (7th-12th Nearby Month):
$625
$625
$688
$688
$844
$844
Tier 5 (Greater than 12th Nearby):
$625
$625
$688
$688
$844
$844


NYMEX Division Outright Margins on Natural Gas e-miNY Futures (QG)
 
Clearing Member
Member Customer
Non-Member Customer
 
New
Old
New
Old
New
Old
Tier 1 (1st Nearby Month):
$3,600
$2,800
$3,960
$3,080
$4,860
$3,780
Tier 2 (2nd Nearby Month):
$3,600
$2,800
$3,960
$3,080
$4,860
$3,780

Intra-Month Straddle Margins for Natural Gas Futures (NG)
 
Clearing Member
Member Customer
Non-Member Customer
 
New
Old
New
Old
New
Old
Tier 1 (1st Nearby Month):
$2,000
$1,000
$2,200
$1,100
$2,700
$1,350
Tier 2 (2nd Nearby Month):
$2,000
$1,000
$2,200
$1,100
$2,700
$1,350
Tier 3 (3rd-6th Nearby Month):
$500
$250
$550
$275
$675
$388
Tier 4 (7th-12th Nearby Month):
$250
$250
$275
$275
$338
$338
Tier 5 (Greater than 12th Nearby):
$100
$100
$110
$110
$135
$135

Intra-Month Straddle Margins for Henry Hub Swap Futures (NN)
 
Clearing Member
Member Customer
Non-Member Customer
 
New
Old
New
Old
New
Old
Tier 1 (1st Nearby Month):
$500
$250
$550
$275
$675
$338
Tier 2 (2nd Nearby Month):
$500
$250
$550
$275
$675
$338
Tier 3 (3rd-6th Nearby Month):
$125
$63
$138
$69
$169
$85
Tier 4 (7th-12th Nearby Month):
$63
$63
$69
$69
$85
$85
Tier 5 (Greater than 12th Nearby):
$25
$25
$28
$69
$38
$38

Intra-Month Straddle Margins for Natural Gas e-miNY Futures (QG)
  Clearing Member Member Customer Non-Member Customer
  New Old New Old New Old
Tier 1 (1st Nearby Month): $800 $400 $880 $440 $1,080 $540
Tier 2 (2nd Nearby Month): $800 $400 $880 $440 $1,080 $540

Current systems calculate the margin requirement for spread positions by first determining the "Scan Risk" and then multiplying the number of spreads by a rate set by the Exchange. Scan Risk is determined by netting the outright margin required for each leg of a spread. Spreading between differently margined contracts results in a higher spread margin than between equally margined contracts. Below is provided an example where the legs of a spread are margined differently.

Scan Risk Example at Clearing Member Rates
A spread consisting of one NG leg in Tier 1 and another in Tier 4 will have its requirement (at the clearing member rates) calculated at $8,500 starting on Wednesday, February 26, 2003.
One Long Tier 1 NG (1 * $9,000) = $9,000
One Short Tier 4 NG (1 * $2,500) = -$2,500
Net Scan Risk ($9,000-$2,500) = $6,500
Spread Rate (1* $2000) = +$2,000
Total Requirement   = $8,500

Summary
Clearing Member (Maintenance Margin): $8,500
Member Customer (Initial Margin): $9,350
Non-Member Customer (Initial Margin): $11,475

This notice supersedes all previous notices regarding margins for the NYMEX Natural Gas, NYMEX Henry Hub Swap, and the e-miNY Natural Gas futures contracts.
Should you have any questions or require any further information, please contact exchangeinfo@nymex.com