03/29/2006
FUTURES CONTRACTS:
Natural Gas Futures (NG), Henry Hub Swap Futures (NN), Natural Gas miNY™ Futures (QG), Henry Hub Swing Swap Futures (SN), and Henry Hub Penultimate Swap (NP) ContractsCONTRACT MONTHS: All Months
NG/NN/NP Intra–Commodity Spread and Scan Tiers
Tiers |
New |
Old |
1 |
1st Nearby |
1st Nearby |
2 |
2nd Nearby |
2nd Nearby |
3 |
3rd – 6th Nearby |
3rd – 7th Nearby |
4 |
7th – 11th Nearby |
8th – 12th Nearby |
5 |
12th Nearby |
13th Nearby |
6 |
13th – 23rd Nearby |
14th – 24th Nearby |
7 |
24th – 48th Nearby |
25th – 48th Nearby |
8 |
49th – 60th Nearby |
49th – 60th Nearby |
9 |
Greater than 60th Nearby |
Greater than 60th Nearby |
| Tiers |
Clearing Member / Maintenance
Margin |
Member Customer Initial Margin |
Non-Member Customer Initial
Margin |
|||
New |
Old |
New |
Old |
New |
Old |
|
1 |
$6,500 |
$7,500 |
$7,150 |
$8,250 |
$8,775 |
$10,125 |
2 |
$6,000 |
$6,500 |
$6,600 |
$7,150 |
$8,100 |
$8,775 |
3 |
$6,000 |
$6,500 |
$6,600 |
$7,150 |
$8,100 |
$8,775 |
4 |
$7,500 |
$7,500 |
$8,250 |
$8,250 |
$10,125 |
$10,125 |
5 |
$5,500 |
$5,500 |
$6,050 |
$6,050 |
$7,425 |
$7,425 |
6 |
$3,500 |
$3,500 |
$3,850 |
$3,850 |
$4,725 |
$4,725 |
7 |
$3,000 |
$3,000 |
$3,300 |
$3,300 |
$4,050 |
$4,050 |
8 |
$2,500 |
$2,500 |
$2,750 |
$2,750 |
$3,375 |
$3,375 |
9 |
$2,000 |
$2,000 |
$2,200 |
$2,200 |
$2,700 |
$2,700 |
| Tiers |
Clearing Member / Maintenance
Margin |
Member Customer Initial
Margin |
Non-Member Customer Initial
Margin |
|||
New |
Old |
New |
Old |
New |
Old |
|
1 |
$1,625 |
$1,875 |
$1,788 |
$2,063 |
$2,194 |
$2,531 |
2 |
$1,500 |
$1,625 |
$1,650 |
$1,788 |
$2,025 |
$2,194 |
3 |
$1,500 |
$1,625 |
$1,650 |
$1,788 |
$2,025 |
$2,194 |
4 |
$1,875 |
$1,875 |
$2,063 |
$2,063 |
$2,531 |
$2,531 |
5 |
$1,375 |
$1,375 |
$1,513 |
$1,513 |
$1,856 |
$1,856 |
6 |
$875 |
$875 |
$963 |
$963 |
$1,181 |
$1,181 |
7 |
$750 |
$750 |
$825 |
$825 |
$1,013 |
$1,013 |
8 |
$625 |
$625 |
$688 |
$688 |
$844 |
$844 |
9 |
$500 |
$500 |
$550 |
$550 |
$675 |
$675 |
NYMEX Division Outright (Scan) Margin on NYMEX miNY™ Natural Gas Futures (QG)
| Tiers |
Clearing Member / Maintenance
Margin |
Member Customer Initial Margin |
Non-Member Customer Initial Margin |
|||
New |
Old |
New |
Old |
New |
Old |
|
1 |
$1,625 |
$1,875 |
$1,788 |
$2,063 |
$2,194 |
$2,531 |
2 |
$1,500 |
$1,625 |
$1,650 |
$1,788 |
$2,025 |
$2,194 |
NYMEX Division Outright (Scan) Margin for 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 |
$1,625 |
$1,875 |
$1,788 |
$2,063 |
$2,194 |
$2,531 |
| Tiers |
Clearing Member / Maintenance
Margin |
Member Customer Initial Margin |
Non-Member Customer Initial Margin |
|||
New |
Old |
New |
Old |
New |
Old |
|
1 |
$1,625 |
$1,875 |
$1,788 |
$2,063 |
$2,194 |
$2,531 |
2 |
$1,500 |
$1,625 |
$1,650 |
$1,788 |
$2,025 |
$2,194 |
3 |
$1,500 |
$1,625 |
$1,650 |
$1,788 |
$2,025 |
$2,194 |
4 |
$1,875 |
$1,875 |
$2,063 |
$2,063 |
$2,531 |
$2,531 |
5 |
$1,375 |
$1,375 |
$1,513 |
$1,513 |
$1,856 |
$1,856 |
6 |
$875 |
$875 |
$963 |
$963 |
$1,181 |
$1,181 |
7 |
$750 |
$750 |
$825 |
$825 |
$1,013 |
$1,013 |
8 |
$625 |
$625 |
$688 |
$688 |
$844 |
$844 |
9 |
$500 |
$500 |
$550 |
$550 |
$675 |
$675 |
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 $ 2,000 starting on Thursday, March 30, 2006.
| One Long Tier 1 NG | (1 * $6,500) | = | $6,500 |
| One Short Tier 5 NG | (1 * $ 5,500) | = | $5,500 |
| Net Scan Risk | ($6,500 – $5,500) | = | $1,000 |
| Spread Rate | (1* $ 1,000) | = + | $1,000 |
| Total Requirement | = | $2,000 | |
| Summary | |||
| Clearing Member (Maintenance Margin): | $2,000 | ||
| Member Customer (Initial Margin): | $2,200 | ||
| Non-Member Customer (Initial Margin): | $2,700 |
This notice supersedes all previous notices regarding margin rates and for Natural Gas Futures, Henry Hub Swaps, Natural Gas miNY™ Futures, Henry Hub Swing Swaps, and Henry Hub Penultimate Swap Contracts.