Notice to Members
Notice No. 420
09/21/2005
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: Thursday, September 22, 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
$13,000
$10,000
$14,300
$11,000
$17,550
$13,500
2
$12,500
$10,000
$13,750
$11,000
$16,875
$13,500
3
$12,500
$11,000
$13,750
$12,100
$16,875
$14,850
4
$12,000
$11,500
$13,200
$12,650
$16,200
$15,525
5
$5,750
$5,750
$6,325
$6,325
$7,763
$7,763
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
$3,250
$2,500
$3,575
$2,750
$4,388
$3,375
2
$3,125
$2,500
$3,438
$2,750
$4,219
$3,375
3
$3,125
$2,750
$3,438
$3,025
$4,219
$3,713
4
$3,000
$2,875
$3,300
$3,163
$4,050
$3,881
5
$1,438
$1,438
$1,581
$1,581
$1,941
$1,941
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
$6,500
$5,000
$7,150
$5,500
$8,775
$6,750
2
$6,250
$5,000
$6,875
$5,500
$8,438
$6,750


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
$3,250
$2,500
$3,575
$2,750
$4,388
$3,375


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
$3,250
$2,500
$3,575
$2,750
$4,388
$3,375
2
$3,125
$2,500
$3,438
$2,750
$4,219
$3,375
3
$3,125
$2,750
$3,438
$3,025
$4,219
$3,713
4
$3,000
$2,875
$3,300
$3,163
$4,050
$3,881
5
$1,438
$1,438
$1,581
$1,581
$1,941
$1,941
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 $8,250 starting on Thursday, September 22, 2005.

One Long Tier 1 NG (1 * $13,000) = $13,000
One Short Tier 5 NG (1 * $ 5,750) = $5,750
Net Scan Risk ($13,000-$5,750) = $7,250
Spread Rate (1* $ 1000) = + $1,000
Total Requirement   = $8,250


Summary  
Clearing Member (Maintenance Margin): $8,250
Member Customer (Initial Margin): $9,075
Non-Member Customer (Initial Margin): $11,088


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