Notice to Members
Notice No. 28
01/28/2008
Margin Rate and Tier Changes for Natural Gas Futures, Henry Hub Swap Futures, Natural Gas Penultimate, Natural Gas Last Day, Globex Natural Gas miNY Futures, Henry Hub Swing Swap Futures, and Henry Hub Penultimate Swap Contracts
EFFECTIVE DATE: Wednesday, January 30, 2008 (close of business)

FUTURES CONTRACTS:
Natural Gas Futures, Henry Hub Swap Futures, Natural Gas (Penultimate) Financial Futures, Natural Gas (Last Day) Financial Futures, NYMEX miNY ™ Natural Gas Futures, Henry Hub Swing Swap Futures, and Henry Hub Penultimate Swap Futures Contracts
CONTRACT MONTHS: All Months

NG/NN/HP/HH/NP/QG Intra-Commodity Spread and Scan Tiers
 
Tiers
New
Old
1
1st Nearby
1st Nearby
2
2nd Nearby
2nd Nearby
3
3rd – 7th Nearby
3rd Nearby
4
8th – 13th Nearby
4th – 7th Nearby
5
14th – 19th Nearby
8th – 14th Nearby
6
20th – 25th Nearby
15th – 26th Nearby
7
26th – 37th Nearby
27th – 38th Nearby
8
38th – 49th Nearby
39th – 50th Nearby
9
Greater than 49th Nearby
Greater than 50th Nearby


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
$5,000
$5,500
$5,500
$6,050
$6,750
$7,425
2
$4,750
$5,500
$5,225
$6,050
$6,413
$7,425
3
$4,250
$5,000
$4,675
$5,500
$5,738
$6,750
4
$4,500
$4,500
$4,950
$4,950
$6,075
$6,075
5
$3,500
$4,750
$3,850
$5,225
$4,725
$6,413
6
$3,750
$3,750
$4,125
$4,125
$5,063
$5,063
7
$3,250
$3,250
$3,575
$3,575
$4,388
$4,388
8
$3,000
$3,000
$3,300
$3,300
$4,050
$4,050
9
$2,500
$2,500
$2,750
$2,750
$3,375
$3,375


NYMEX Division Outright (Scan) Margins on Henry Hub Swap Futures (NN) Henry Hub Penultimate Swap (NP) and GLOBEX miNY Natural Gas (QG)
 
Tiers
Clearing Member / Maintenance Margin
Member Customer Initial Margin
Non-Member Customer Initial Margin
 
New
Old
New
Old
New
Old
1
$1,250
$1,375
$1,375
$1,513
$1,688
$1,856
2
$1,188
$1,375
$1,306
$1,513
$1,603
$1,856
3
$1,063
$1,250
$1,169
$1,375
$1,434
$1,688
4
$1,125
$1,125
$1,238
$1,238
$1,519
$1,519
5
$875
$1,188
$963
$1,306
$1,181
$1,603
6
$938
$938
$1,031
$1,031
$1,266
$1,266
7
$813
$813
$894
$894
$1,097
$1,097
8
$750
$750
$825
$825
$1,013
$1,013
9
$625
$625
$688
$688
$844
$844


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
$1,250
$1,625
$1,375
$1,788
$1,688
$2,194


NYMEX Division Intra-Commodity Spread Margins on Natural Gas Futures (NG), Natural Gas Penultimate (HP) and Natural Gas Last Day (HH)
 
Tiers
Clearing Member / Maintenance Margin
Member Customer Initial Margin
Non-Member Customer Initial Margin
 
New
Old
New
Old
New
Old
1
$750
$1,000
$825
$1,100
$1,013
$1,350
2
$500
$750
$550
$825
$675
$1,013
3
$500
$750
$550
$825
$675
$1,013
4
$500
$750
$550
$825
$675
$1,013
5
$500
$500
$550
$550
$675
$675
6
$500
$500
$550
$550
$675
$675
7
$500
$500
$550
$550
$675
$675
8
$500
$500
$550
$550
$675
$675
9
$250
$250
$275
$275
$338
$338


NYMEX Division Intra-Commodity Spread Margins on Henry Hub Swap Futures (NN), Henry Hub Penultimate Swap (NP) and GLOBEX miNY Natural Gas (QG)
 
Tiers
Clearing Member / Maintenance Margin
Member Customer Initial Margin
Non-Member Customer Initial Margin
 
New
Old
New
Old
New
Old
1
$188
$250
$206
$275
$253
$338
2
$125
$188
$138
$206
$169
$253
3
$125
$188
$138
$206
$169
$253
4
$125
$188
$138
$206
$169
$253
5
$125
$125
$138
$138
$169
$169
6
$125
$125
$138
$138
$169
$169
7
$125
$125
$138
$138
$169
$169
8
$125
$125
$138
$138
$169
$169
9
$63
$63
$69
$69
$84
$85


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 2 will have its requirement (at the clearing member rates) calculated at $ 1,000 starting on Wednesday, January 30, 2008.

One Long Tier 1 NG (1 * $ 5,000) = $5,000
One Short Tier 2 NG (1 * $ 4,750) = $4,750
Net Scan Risk ($5,000-$4,750) = $250
Spread Rate (1* $ 750) = + $750
Total Requirement   = $1,000
       
Summary      
Clearing Member (Maintenance Margin):     $1,000
Member Customer (Initial Margin):     $1,100
Non-Member Customer (Initial Margin):     $1,350


This notice supersedes all previous notices regarding margin rates and for Natural Gas Futures, Henry Hub Swap Futures, Natural Gas (Penultimate) Financial Futures, Natural Gas (Last Day) Financial Futures, NYMEX miNY™ Natural Gas Futures, Henry Hub Swing Swap Futures, and Henry Hub Penultimate Swap Futures Contracts.
Should you have any questions or require any further information, please contact exchangeinfo@nymex.com