Notice to Members
Notice No. 348
08/25/2005
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: Friday, August 26, 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 and 4

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
$8,000
$6,500
$8,800
$7,150
$10,800
$8,775
2
$8,000
$6,500
$8,800
$7,150
$10,800
$8,775
3
$7,750
$6,750
$8,525
$7,425
$10,463
$9,113
4
$7,750
$7,000
$8,525
$7,700
$10,463
$9,450
5
$4,000
$4,000
$4,400
$4,400
$5,400
$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
$2,000
$1,625
$2,200
$1,788
$2,700
$2,194
2
$2,000
$1,625
$2,200
$1,788
$2,700
$2,194
3
$1,938
$1,688
$2,131
$1,856
$2,616
$2,278
4
$1,938
$1,750
$2,131
$1,925
$2,616
$2,363
5
$1,000
$1,000
$1,100
$1,100
$1,350
$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
$4,000
$3,250
$4,400
$3,575
$5,400
$4,388
2
$4,000
$3,250
$4,400
$3,575
$5,400
$4,388


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
$2,000
$1,625
$2,200
$1,788
$2,700
$2,194


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
$2,000
$1,625
$2,200
$1,788
$2,700
$2,194
2
$2,000
$1,625
$2,200
$1,788
$2,700
$2,194
3
$1,938
$1,688
$2,131
$1,856
$2,616
$2,278
4
$1,938
$1,750
$2,131
$1,925
$2,616
$2,363
5
$1,000
$1,000
$1,100
$1,100
$1,350
$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 * $8,000) = $8,000
One Short Tier 5 NG (1 * $4,000) = $4,000
Net Scan Risk ($8,000-$4,000) = $4,000
Spread Rate (1* $ 1000) = + $1,000
Total Requirement   = $5,000


Summary  
Clearing Member (Maintenance Margin): $5,000
Member Customer (Initial Margin): $5,500
Non-Member Customer (Initial Margin): $6,750


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