MEDIA RELEASE PR37212
ICE Announces Introduction of Cleared Iron Ore Swap
SINGAPORE, Nov. 20 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ --
IntercontinentalExchange, Inc. (NYSE: ICE), a leading operator of global regulated futures exchanges,
clearing houses and over-the-counter (OTC) markets, today announced the introduction of an ICE OTC
cleared iron ore contract based on the well-regarded Platts Iron Ore Index. The ICE Platts
Iron Ore Swap 62% Fe (metallic iron) contract will be available for clearing on ICE Clear U.S. beginning
December 2, 2009.
Iron ore is the primary raw material used in the production of steel - and the world's second largest
commodity by value, after crude oil. Because iron ore has historically traded under long-term fixed price
contracts between steel mills and mining companies, iron ore is the world's largest commodity without a
significant derivatives market.
"As a major input to steel production, iron ore is essential to the global economy and is one of the largest
commodities today without a fully developed derivatives market," said Mike Davis, Director of Market
Development, ICE Futures Europe. "We have designed the contract to meet the requirements of participants
in the iron ore and steel industries so that they are able to manage price risks around steel input costs, just as
they have long been able to do with other factors of production such as oil and coal."
Iron ore is a mineral with metallic iron (Fe) content. High grade iron ore contains at least 60% Fe content,
and the industry has adopted the 62% Fe specification as a standard benchmark for derivative transactions.
The ICE Iron Ore Swap is based upon the most commonly traded grade of iron ore, referencing 62% Fe
content delivered by sea to China. The contract will be cash settled against a daily index price published in
Platts Metals Alert (PMA) under the heading 'IODEX: Iron Ore fines 62% Fe CFR North China'.
Editors Note
Platts has been assessing prices in the metals markets for more than 35 years, drawing on the tradition of
its parent company, The McGraw-Hill Companies, which has covered the metals markets for over 75 years.
Platts saw the fast-paced evolution of iron ore from an annual to spot market and was the first publisher to
begin assessing pricing on a daily basis in June 2008. Since then, Platts has rapidly expanded its offerings for
the iron ore market, which now include flat price assessments for 62% Fe and 63.5/63% Fe grades, high-
grade 65% and a low-grade 58% Fe grade, as well as a daily 1% per Fe content differential for iron ore fines
60-63.5% to help clarify the normalization process. Platts also publishes daily freight netbacks based on
the most liquid routes to five basis origins. A forward curve assessing the daily bid/offer and trade values in the
over the counter swaps market for iron ore has also been recently introduced. For more information on the iron
ore price assessments and methodology, see
About IntercontinentalExchange
IntercontinentalExchange(R) (NYSE: ICE) operates leading regulated exchanges, trading platforms and
clearing houses serving the global markets for agricultural, credit, currency, emissions, energy and equity
index markets. ICE Futures Europe(R) hosts trade in half of the world's crude and
refined oil futures. ICE Futures U.S.(R) and ICE Futures Canada(R) list agricultural, currency and Russell
Index markets. ICE(R) offers trade execution and processing for the credit derivatives markets through
Creditex(R) and ICE Link(TM), respectively, and CDS clearing through ICE Trust(TM). A component of the
Russell 1000(R) and S&P 500 indexes, ICE serves
customers in more than 50 countries and is headquartered in Atlanta, with offices in New York, London,
The following are trademarks of IntercontinentalExchange, Inc. and/or its affiliated companies:
IntercontinentalExchange, IntercontinentalExchange & Design, ICE, ICE and block design, ICE Futures
Canada, ICE Futures Europe, ICE Futures U.S., ICE Trust, ICE Clear Europe, ICE Clear U.S., ICE Clear
Canada, The Clearing Corporation, U.S. Dollar Index, ICE Link and Creditex. All other trademarks are the
property of their respective owners. For more information regarding registered trademarks owned by
Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 - Statements in this press
release regarding IntercontinentalExchange's business that are not historical facts are "forward-looking
statements" that involve risks and uncertainties. For a discussion of additional risks and uncertainties, which
could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see
ICE's Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings, including, but not limited to, the risk factors in ICE's
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008, as filed with the SEC on February 11,
2009.
SOURCE: IntercontinentalExchange
CONTACT:
Kelly Loeffler,
VP, Investor Relations & Corp. Communications,
+1-770-857-4726,
kelly.loeffler@theice.com,
or Sarah Stashak,
Director,
Investor & Public Relations,
+1-770-857-0340,
sarah.stashak@theice.com,
both of IntercontinentalExchange
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