Products October 29, 2009

A New Way to Get Even With the Weather

October 29, 2009 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - CME is now offering businesses that might have some trouble digging out this winter a different way to hedge against those challenges.
Reported by

CME Group is launching four new futures contracts in December which that it says will give businesses the means to hedge against losses from heavier or lighter snowfall than expected this winter.

The new monthly and seasonal snowfall contracts, which CME says have attracted interest from snow removal businesses, salt companies and landscapers, will be launched on December 7 based on snowfall at four airports across the northern United States.

Snow “Fall?”   

“We believe the new binary options will provide customers with an efficient way to hedge potential losses on their businesses if it snows more or less than they plan,” said Barry Goldblatt, managing director of CME Group.

The futures and options will be launched for:

  • New York LaGuardia Airport,
  • Chicago O’Hare International Airport,
  • Minneapolis/St. Paul Airport and
  • Detroit Metro Airport. 

In 2006, CME launched snowfall contracts for New York Central Park and Boston Logan International.

More information is available at http://cmegroup.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=2950    

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