Notice to Members
Notice No. 358
08/29/2005
Margin Rate Changes for Natural Gas Futures, Henry Hub Swap Futures, Natural Gas e-miNY Futures, Henry Hub Swing Swap Futures, and Henry Hub Penultimate Swap Contracts
EFFECTIVE DATE: Monday, August 29, 2005 (close of business)

FUTURES CONTRACTS: Natural Gas, Henry Hub Swaps, e-miNY, Henry Hub Swing Swaps and Henry Hub Penultimate Swap Contracts

CONTRACT MONTHS: Tiers 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5

Note: The revised margins are in bold

NYMEX Division Outright (Scan) Margins on Natural Gas Futures (NG)
 
Tiers
Clearing Member / Maintenance Margin
Member Customer Initial Margin
Non-Member Customer Initial Margin
 
New
Old
New
Old
New
Old
1
$10,000
$8,000
$11,000
$8,800
$13,500
$10,800
2
$10,000
$8,000
$11,000
$8,800
$13,500
$10,800
3
$9,750
$7,750
$10,725
$8,525
$13,163
$10,463
4
$9,750
$7,750
$10,725
$8,525
$13,163
$10,463
5
$5,000
$4,000
$5,500
$4,400
$6,750
$5,400
6
$3,250
$3,250
$3,575
$3,575
$4,388
$4,388
7
$3,000
$3,000
$3,300
$3,300
$4,050
$4,050
8
$2,000
$2,000
$2,200
$2,200
$2,700
$2,700
9
$1,500
$1,500
$1,650
$1,650
$2,025
$2,025


NYMEX Division Outright (Scan) Margins on Henry Hub Swap Futures (NN)
 
Tiers
Clearing Member / Maintenance Margin
Member Customer Initial Margin
Non-Member Customer Initial Margin
 
New
Old
New
Old
New
Old
1
$2,500
$2,000
$2,750
$2,200
$3,375
$2,700
2
$2,500
$2,000
$2,750
$2,200
$3,375
$2,700
3
$2,438
$1,938
$2,681
$2,131
$3,291
$2,616
4
$2,438
$1,938
$2,681
$2,131
$3,291
$2,616
5
$1,250
$1,000
$1,375
$1,100
$1,688
$1,350
6
$813
$813
$894
$894
$1,097
$1,097
7
$750
$750
$825
$825
$1,013
$1,013
8
$500
$500
$550
$550
$675
$675
9
$375
$375
$413
$413
$506
$506


NYMEX Division Outright (Scan) Margin on Natural Gas e-miNY Futures (QG)
 
Tiers
Clearing Member / Maintenance Margin
Member Customer Initial Margin
Non-Member Customer Initial Margin
 
New
Old
New
Old
New
Old
1
$5,000
$4,000
$5,500
$4,400
$6,750
$5,400
2
$5,000
$4,000
$5,500
$4,400
$6,750
$5,400


NYMEX Division Outright (Scan) Margin on Henry Hub Swing Swap Futures (SN)
 
Tiers
Clearing Member / Maintenance Margin
Member Customer Initial Margin
Non-Member Customer Initial Margin
 
New
Old
New
Old
New
Old
1
$2,500
$2,000
$2,750
$2,200
$3,375
$2,700


NYMEX Division Outright (Scan) Margin on Henry Hub Penultimate Swap Futures (NP)
 
Tiers
Clearing Member / Maintenance Margin
Member Customer Initial Margin
Non-Member Customer Initial Margin
 
New
Old
New
Old
New
Old
1
$2,500
$2,000
$2,750
$2,200
$3,375
$2,700
2
$2,500
$2,000
$2,750
$2,200
$3,375
$2,700
3
$2,438
$1,938
$2,681
$2,131
$3,291
$2,616
4
$2,438
$1,938
$2,681
$2,131
$3,291
$2,616
5
$1,250
$1,000
$1,375
$1,100
$1,688
$1,350
6
$813
$813
$894
$894
$1,097
$1,097
7
$750
$750
$825
$825
$1,013
$1,013
8
$500
$500
$550
$550
$675
$675
9
$375
$375
$413
$413
$506
$506


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 5 will have its requirement (at the clearing member rates) calculated at $5,000 starting on Friday, August 26, 2005.

One Long Tier 1 NG (1 * $10,000) = $10,000
One Short Tier 5 NG (1 * $5,000) = $5,000
Net Scan Risk ($10,000-$5,000) = $5,000
Spread Rate (1* $ 1000) = + $1,000
Total Requirement   = $6,000


Summary  
Clearing Member (Maintenance Margin): $6,000
Member Customer (Initial Margin): $6,600
Non-Member Customer (Initial Margin): $8,100


This notice supersedes all previous notices regarding margin rates and tiers for Natural Gas, Henry Hub Swaps, e-miNY, Henry Hub Swing Swaps and Henry Hub Penultimate Swap Contracts.
Should you have any questions or require any further information, please contact exchangeinfo@nymex.com