Mar 28, 2013 Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) and Dutch natural gas infrastructure company Gasunie are jointly launching a European gas and power trading platform, the companies announced. ICE is a leading operator of global markets and clearing houses. The ICE Endex will commence operations, following competition clearance by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) in the UK, and a declaration of no-objection from the Dutch Ministry of Finance, according to a statement on Gasunie’s website. The facility will be a « transparent platform for trading European natural gas and power, » it said. The launch of ICE Endex follows the separation earlier this year of energy exchange APX-ENDEX into a power spot and clearing entity, and a derivatives and spot gas group. ICE owns 79.12% of the venture, with Gasunie holding the remaining 20.88%. « The launch of ICE Endex significantly strengthens our ability to serve participants in the continental European natural gas and power markets, » said David Peniket, president and chief operating officer of ICE Futures Europe. « We will bring our experience in the regulated North American and UK natural gas markets to establish and grow liquidity for natural gas hubs in continental Europe, » he added. ICE Endex, to be based in Amsterdam, will offer spot and derivatives products for trading natural gas, power, biomass futures, as well as natural gas storage facilities.
MAR