Powerisk Receives-Independent Energy Consultant Commendation
At the recent Energy ‘Buying and Supplying’ Excellence Awards, Powerisk received a Commendation in the Independent Energy Consultant of the Year category. The awards, held at The Langham Hotel in London, were designed to showcase and recognise the very best practises in the energy supply and procurement arena with consideration given to all those involved in the process. read more...
29 November 2010
At the recent Energy ‘Buying and Supplying’ Excellence Awards, Powerisk received a Commendation in the Independent Energy Consultant of the Year category. The awards, held at The Langham Hotel in London, were designed to showcase and recognise the very best practises in the energy supply and procurement arena with consideration given to all those involved in the process. read more...
New White Paper highlights need for Energy Risk Management
Yesterday, npower launched its new white paper, commissioned from the London School of Economics on Energy Risk Management for UK business. The paper comes on the back of research that suggests that UK businesses now feel that energy presents a higher level of risk to their business than health and safety and security issues. But what should businesses be doing to manage the risks? read more...
11 November 2010
Yesterday, npower launched its new white paper, commissioned from the London School of Economics on Energy Risk Management for UK business. The paper comes on the back of research that suggests that UK businesses now feel that energy presents a higher level of risk to their business than health and safety and security issues. But what should businesses be doing to manage the risks? read more...
Suddenly it's "British Petroleum"
A name not used in a very long time, but suddenly the US are quick to refer to BP by its old name of British Petroleum, hoping perhaps to distance itself from blame regarding the disastrous oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. But as the US announces a criminal investigation and as BP shares suffer further should the British economy concern itself? read more...
02 June 2010
A name not used in a very long time, but suddenly the US are quick to refer to BP by its old name of British Petroleum, hoping perhaps to distance itself from blame regarding the disastrous oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. But as the US announces a criminal investigation and as BP shares suffer further should the British economy concern itself? read more...
Why is the Dollar Important?
With LNG now having a place in the UK gas market, the dollar will influence our energy prices. read more...
25 September 2009
With LNG now having a place in the UK gas market, the dollar will influence our energy prices. read more...
Recent oil price rises will not last
The recent oil price increase seen last week has already started to fall and Powerisk explains why it will continue to stall. read more...
25 March 2009
The recent oil price increase seen last week has already started to fall and Powerisk explains why it will continue to stall. read more...
Deflation versus Hyper Inflation
The economic circumstances are forcing many businesses to look at whether we face a world of declining growth or rampant uncontrollable growth. read more...
18 February 2009
The economic circumstances are forcing many businesses to look at whether we face a world of declining growth or rampant uncontrollable growth. read more...
Credit Impacts on Liquidity
The Energy Markets are still trading with the banks including Lehman Brothers, the 4th largest investment bank in the US who is struggling to shore up its position following its significant sub-prime related losses. read more...
11 September 2008
The Energy Markets are still trading with the banks including Lehman Brothers, the 4th largest investment bank in the US who is struggling to shore up its position following its significant sub-prime related losses. read more...
The art of front running
Front running a position can cause some players to look good, but it might be the way to start to trade a contango market read more...
06 March 2008
Front running a position can cause some players to look good, but it might be the way to start to trade a contango market read more...
April 08 - trading at premium
Prices in April 08 are trading higher as supply squeeze more likely. read more...
25 February 2008
Prices in April 08 are trading higher as supply squeeze more likely. read more...
Banks checked for credit
Players starting to assess if the banks will pull out of the commodities markets. read more...
18 February 2008
Players starting to assess if the banks will pull out of the commodities markets. read more...
Ernst and Young Reports states gas reliance by 2025
Ernst Young think that gas is where the growth is. Powerisk disagrees and thinks that the future is in coal this where the growth in the technology is. read more...
22 January 2008
Ernst Young think that gas is where the growth is. Powerisk disagrees and thinks that the future is in coal this where the growth in the technology is. read more...
Price setting - Evan Davis
Evan Davis' article on Setting prices is well worth a read Powerisk has a few additions to his story. read more...
16 January 2008
Evan Davis' article on Setting prices is well worth a read Powerisk has a few additions to his story. read more...
Will the market start from a hedged position?
The budget versus trading debate often comes up at this time of year, when players see high prices and start to look at the new tarding year ahead. read more...
15 January 2008
The budget versus trading debate often comes up at this time of year, when players see high prices and start to look at the new tarding year ahead. read more...
The end of another year...
Slow trading day as players contemplate what 2008 has in store. read more...
31 December 2007
Slow trading day as players contemplate what 2008 has in store. read more...
S36 for worlds largest biomass plant
Port Talbot to host the worlds largest biomass plant read more...
21 November 2007
Port Talbot to host the worlds largest biomass plant read more...
Oil options day
Oil turns into a bit of a damp squib as players do not exercise their $100 options. read more...
13 November 2007
Oil turns into a bit of a damp squib as players do not exercise their $100 options. read more...
Oil marches on with dollar threatening
Oil and currency fluctuations continue to cause concern in the markets read more...
08 November 2007
Oil and currency fluctuations continue to cause concern in the markets read more...
An options strategy to suit.
Options are creaping into flexible contracts and this is a good thing as they can provide insurance, but in reality, often they appear to be given away, but look carefully and what you are giving away in return. read more...
31 October 2007
Options are creaping into flexible contracts and this is a good thing as they can provide insurance, but in reality, often they appear to be given away, but look carefully and what you are giving away in return. read more...
Options
Options strategies could help some long term pricing strategies and with volatility low this could be the right time to look at it more seriously. read more...
25 July 2007
Options strategies could help some long term pricing strategies and with volatility low this could be the right time to look at it more seriously. read more...
Weather warning
Met office predictions suggest that next Winter could be cold, but then their predictions can be prosaic! read more...
11 July 2007
Met office predictions suggest that next Winter could be cold, but then their predictions can be prosaic! read more...
Peak vs Baseload
Sometimes negotiation on some elements of price could result in some interesting opening into the black box which is electricity pricing. read more...
18 June 2007
Sometimes negotiation on some elements of price could result in some interesting opening into the black box which is electricity pricing. read more...
Weather derivatives
The key to working out risks is knowing what they are and how to hedge them, too many players take on basis risks because they believe there is perfect correlation. read more...
28 March 2007
The key to working out risks is knowing what they are and how to hedge them, too many players take on basis risks because they believe there is perfect correlation. read more...
Why volume risk is greater than one thinks
Volume to the supplier is important but little changes in volume can soon mount up and so players must be careful when they have a growing portfolio. read more...
21 March 2007
Volume to the supplier is important but little changes in volume can soon mount up and so players must be careful when they have a growing portfolio. read more...
"Correlation not Contagion" FT
Commodity markets must be aware that the hedge funds are now looking at assets in risk classes and so if risk reduction must take place this can just as easily occur in commodities as equities. read more...
09 March 2007
Commodity markets must be aware that the hedge funds are now looking at assets in risk classes and so if risk reduction must take place this can just as easily occur in commodities as equities. read more...
Contango Markets
The FT has written a good article on commodity contango. read more...
01 March 2007
The FT has written a good article on commodity contango. read more...
The cost of buying forward
There is a premium associated with having security, of cash flow and knowledge. £6/MWh looks too much but it is not far away. read more...
21 February 2007
There is a premium associated with having security, of cash flow and knowledge. £6/MWh looks too much but it is not far away. read more...
Is Q3 over valued?
Q3 is diverging between power and gas and so the risk premia is looking expensive, the spark spread traders must be wary of this but many of them have become out and out power traders. read more...
07 February 2007
Q3 is diverging between power and gas and so the risk premia is looking expensive, the spark spread traders must be wary of this but many of them have become out and out power traders. read more...
Why Summer is riskier than Winter!
The market is showing that Q3 has some premia associated with it. Looking back in time shows why! read more...
05 February 2007
The market is showing that Q3 has some premia associated with it. Looking back in time shows why! read more...
Fundamentals (Part 3)
nPower strengthen the belief that further falls in the market are less likely. read more...
24 January 2007
nPower strengthen the belief that further falls in the market are less likely. read more...
New Year points to falling market
The market conitnues to fall with new lows being set on the last trading day of the year but the future suggests that the bears wll be looking at the fundamental lows when they will start to metamorphise into bulls. read more...
02 January 2007
The market conitnues to fall with new lows being set on the last trading day of the year but the future suggests that the bears wll be looking at the fundamental lows when they will start to metamorphise into bulls. read more...
Christmas Statistics
Christmas can make the mind boggle with numbers. The market remains steady and quiet and so Powerisk has decided to concentrate on festivities. read more...
21 December 2006
Christmas can make the mind boggle with numbers. The market remains steady and quiet and so Powerisk has decided to concentrate on festivities. read more...
Banks burst
Banks are looking to expand and grow in the commodities markets. read more...
06 December 2006
Banks are looking to expand and grow in the commodities markets. read more...
Summer seems a long a way off
Could the market be waking up to a world where you short the forwards and buy the prompt. read more...
27 November 2006
Could the market be waking up to a world where you short the forwards and buy the prompt. read more...
Risk management dichotomy
Risk managers can rest easy when they are short and the market is falling but they will be aware that we are in territory and that correlations and spreads have started to look very different from last year. read more...
03 October 2006
Risk managers can rest easy when they are short and the market is falling but they will be aware that we are in territory and that correlations and spreads have started to look very different from last year. read more...
Amaranth-short living herb
Amaranth the hedge fund has set out how it intends to wind up its positions after the single largest bad trade in history. Brian Hunter the trader has been summarily dismissed but perhaps more importantly where are the risk managers monitoring his position. Losing $6bn is a staggering amount of money. It would take 5hours to count $5 bills before you hit $1m, it would take you 2.5 months to count $1bn. read more...
28 September 2006
Amaranth the hedge fund has set out how it intends to wind up its positions after the single largest bad trade in history. Brian Hunter the trader has been summarily dismissed but perhaps more importantly where are the risk managers monitoring his position. Losing $6bn is a staggering amount of money. It would take 5hours to count $5 bills before you hit $1m, it would take you 2.5 months to count $1bn. read more...
Hedge Funds dominate the market
The market has seen the effects of hedge funds, big players who can move markets when reversing positions, they can also push them too far and the skill in any trader is moving the market but not doing it so unsubtley that the market front runs you. Hedge funds struggle with this due to the volume of trades required to reverse the position. read more...
22 September 2006
The market has seen the effects of hedge funds, big players who can move markets when reversing positions, they can also push them too far and the skill in any trader is moving the market but not doing it so unsubtley that the market front runs you. Hedge funds struggle with this due to the volume of trades required to reverse the position. read more...
Is buying far dated smart?
Some of the long dated products look like bargains but are there other ways of buying this. read more...
19 September 2006
Some of the long dated products look like bargains but are there other ways of buying this. read more...
Windfarms: Talking to the Experts
There are number of possible Windfarm projects floating around but are these projects based on the right components. Is there such a thing as too many experts! read more...
14 September 2006
There are number of possible Windfarm projects floating around but are these projects based on the right components. Is there such a thing as too many experts! read more...
NPower announces price increase
NPower raise prices which was not really a shock given the activity of others but then they had prided themselves on being better and more innovative. read more...
07 September 2006
NPower raise prices which was not really a shock given the activity of others but then they had prided themselves on being better and more innovative. read more...
Technicals appear to be back in fashion
The market is trading in a much more stable way than last year and technicals are very much more in fashion. read more...
05 September 2006
The market is trading in a much more stable way than last year and technicals are very much more in fashion. read more...
Fear factors and risk premia
Risk premia and fear will always effect markets one study suggests that $20 + is the risk premia in oil and whilst one doubts it as high in power and gas it is there. What is clear is that as the market stabilises, confidence grows and the risk premias fall. read more...
16 August 2006
Risk premia and fear will always effect markets one study suggests that $20 + is the risk premia in oil and whilst one doubts it as high in power and gas it is there. What is clear is that as the market stabilises, confidence grows and the risk premias fall. read more...
Could this be a trend developing
The gas world is being a bit canny and buying early forcing the power market to respond. Is it really a trend and if so how can it played from a trading point of view. read more...
28 July 2006
The gas world is being a bit canny and buying early forcing the power market to respond. Is it really a trend and if so how can it played from a trading point of view. read more...
Is now a good time to buy April Annual 07
It may look tempting as everyhing is trading at a discount to 2006 but in reality there is still alot of price premia built in to the back end of the curve on nothing more than what has happened this year. Fundamentals for next year suggest that the price should fall further. read more...
27 July 2006
It may look tempting as everyhing is trading at a discount to 2006 but in reality there is still alot of price premia built in to the back end of the curve on nothing more than what has happened this year. Fundamentals for next year suggest that the price should fall further. read more...
Winter 06- The technicals
Winter 06 dropping closer and closer to the £60 level and there is a definitely feeling that this could lead to a new world where Winter 06 has a big number starting with a 5 rather than a 6. read more...
25 July 2006
Winter 06 dropping closer and closer to the £60 level and there is a definitely feeling that this could lead to a new world where Winter 06 has a big number starting with a 5 rather than a 6. read more...
When is a good time to trade the quarters or months
November and Q4 are not as cheap as they could be, a mild winter more supply in both gas and power than last year suggest that the market is overpriced. read more...
21 July 2006
November and Q4 are not as cheap as they could be, a mild winter more supply in both gas and power than last year suggest that the market is overpriced. read more...
Long dated Summer trade again
Summers show a bit of backwardation and contango but some of the long dated power looks cheap and prices in a load of unknowns which could go either way. read more...
08 June 2006
Summers show a bit of backwardation and contango but some of the long dated power looks cheap and prices in a load of unknowns which could go either way. read more...
Is now a good time for a three or five year deal.
Five year deals may look attractive because the market is in backwardation but in reality there will be other opportunities as more detail on fuel fundamentals is released. No harm in hedging some exposure for five years but not all of it. read more...
05 May 2006
Five year deals may look attractive because the market is in backwardation but in reality there will be other opportunities as more detail on fuel fundamentals is released. No harm in hedging some exposure for five years but not all of it. read more...
VaR and commodities and Fundametals
Metals markets go mad, nice to see that it isn't just the gas and power markets which respond to fundamentals. read more...
21 April 2006
Metals markets go mad, nice to see that it isn't just the gas and power markets which respond to fundamentals. read more...
VaR, Volatility and confidence
As market become more ordered and stable VaR limits widen to allow traders to take more risk, this is fine as many models model history. In financial markets the biggest vol shift was 9/11 and in a few months this event will no longer be modelled in the financial markets an so risk limits will widen. read more...
19 April 2006
As market become more ordered and stable VaR limits widen to allow traders to take more risk, this is fine as many models model history. In financial markets the biggest vol shift was 9/11 and in a few months this event will no longer be modelled in the financial markets an so risk limits will widen. read more...
Drax structure the perfect deal with Centrica
Drax and Centrica do deal which on the face of it looks like a perfect hedge for Drax, but Centrica benefit from not being short power in a potentially high power market. read more...
12 April 2006
Drax and Centrica do deal which on the face of it looks like a perfect hedge for Drax, but Centrica benefit from not being short power in a potentially high power market. read more...
Hedge your bets
The UK Phase II nap is under consulatation and the energy sector is going to have to cut emissions further, a switch to gas will help, but don't expect a fall in emissions prices and for this to be passed on to the consumer. read more...
29 March 2006
The UK Phase II nap is under consulatation and the energy sector is going to have to cut emissions further, a switch to gas will help, but don't expect a fall in emissions prices and for this to be passed on to the consumer. read more...
Over 300 News Items on Powerisk
Powerisk has concentrated on a range of utility articles in the last two years and there are now over 300 articles showing how the market has moved and what the fundamental drivers are, sometimes this has been before the market has moved and this gives players a brief glimpse into the future. read more...
24 March 2006
Powerisk has concentrated on a range of utility articles in the last two years and there are now over 300 articles showing how the market has moved and what the fundamental drivers are, sometimes this has been before the market has moved and this gives players a brief glimpse into the future. read more...
Powerisk's Chancellor answers
The Chancellor decides to take profiits from his British Energy stake, and this perhaps is one of the best signs that the market has higher to go, if we look at his trading performance with gold. Potentially the 800m bail out to BE will be rewarded with a £2-£6bn return. Good trading which ever way you look at it! read more...
23 March 2006
The Chancellor decides to take profiits from his British Energy stake, and this perhaps is one of the best signs that the market has higher to go, if we look at his trading performance with gold. Potentially the 800m bail out to BE will be rewarded with a £2-£6bn return. Good trading which ever way you look at it! read more...
Chancellor for the day.........
The market has ticked down a little with a sell of in April due to a relaxation in the supposed gas fears and the market has fallen on the back of this. Winter 06 still looks high and perhaps some of the shorts might come and sell at these levels, but there are not many shorts in the market, willing to take the risk. read more...
22 March 2006
The market has ticked down a little with a sell of in April due to a relaxation in the supposed gas fears and the market has fallen on the back of this. Winter 06 still looks high and perhaps some of the shorts might come and sell at these levels, but there are not many shorts in the market, willing to take the risk. read more...
Traders focus on Winter 06.
Bulls are returning to the market and Winter 06 is getting attention but a fundamental shift has already been seen in the market to reflect emissions prices, and so the near doubling of Winter contracts seen last year is unlikely for this year. read more...
20 March 2006
Bulls are returning to the market and Winter 06 is getting attention but a fundamental shift has already been seen in the market to reflect emissions prices, and so the near doubling of Winter contracts seen last year is unlikely for this year. read more...
The February melt begins.
February History has shown that if ever the bears are at their most aggressive then it is now. Fundamentals also suggest that this year looks likely to be less volatile than last year. The very nature, of traders developing experience and not being panicking into trading lowers volatility. read more...
14 February 2006
February History has shown that if ever the bears are at their most aggressive then it is now. Fundamentals also suggest that this year looks likely to be less volatile than last year. The very nature, of traders developing experience and not being panicking into trading lowers volatility. read more...
Scottish Power increase prices to domestic players.
Retail customers now have to look at fixed versus variable in the same way as their mortgage, and buying a mortgage is normally painful, and so inadvertently by making the market more complex the suppliers reduce churn. read more...
10 February 2006
Retail customers now have to look at fixed versus variable in the same way as their mortgage, and buying a mortgage is normally painful, and so inadvertently by making the market more complex the suppliers reduce churn. read more...
5th Small supplier goes bust and blames the lack of upstream assets
Zest 4 folds to join illustrious list, and they have no one to blame but themselves. Good risk management applies to all companies whatever size you are. read more...
07 February 2006
Zest 4 folds to join illustrious list, and they have no one to blame but themselves. Good risk management applies to all companies whatever size you are. read more...
Enron case highlights the need for assets
Enron are back in the news, and their story is an interesting one. The market has survived without them but in truth is, it is a very different place that probably mourns their departure more than most would admit. read more...
19 January 2006
Enron are back in the news, and their story is an interesting one. The market has survived without them but in truth is, it is a very different place that probably mourns their departure more than most would admit. read more...
Prompt falls but fails to take Q1 06 with it.
Beware a cold snap, an over zealous risk manager and the ostrich approach to trading. read more...
27 October 2005
Beware a cold snap, an over zealous risk manager and the ostrich approach to trading. read more...
How much flexible purchasing can I do?
Flexibility is no pannacea, and does need some careful management and input at the beginning. read more...
30 August 2005
Flexibility is no pannacea, and does need some careful management and input at the beginning. read more...
Is Flexible Purchasing the way forward?
Flexible purchasing is a change for the best but it needs care and management in order to get it right. read more...
23 August 2005
Flexible purchasing is a change for the best but it needs care and management in order to get it right. read more...
Power Market eases off.
The power market sags under the weight of its fundamental friends. Steel industry points to unfair advatages in Europe. read more...
02 August 2005
The power market sags under the weight of its fundamental friends. Steel industry points to unfair advatages in Europe. read more...
Market Moves Up-
£20 rise in two months, VaR limits broken everywhere even the producers are buying. read more...
11 July 2005
£20 rise in two months, VaR limits broken everywhere even the producers are buying. read more...
British Energy - Shares
British Energy share options worth gold dust as power prices go supersonic. read more...
04 July 2005
British Energy share options worth gold dust as power prices go supersonic. read more...
Liquidity - dries up.
The market quietens down, with fewer trades and traders re-evaluating positions. read more...
28 June 2005
The market quietens down, with fewer trades and traders re-evaluating positions. read more...
Rising Market = Long Term Deals
"The most valuable commodity I know of is information." Wall Street read more...
27 June 2005
"The most valuable commodity I know of is information." Wall Street read more...
Is your custom that important?
The more customers a supplier has in a rising market the more exposure to power price they have, this may not always be welcome when the buying forward is so expensive. read more...
24 June 2005
The more customers a supplier has in a rising market the more exposure to power price they have, this may not always be welcome when the buying forward is so expensive. read more...
Is seasonality dead
The differences between Winter and Summer are getting narrower, but this may indirectly cause more problems. If the Swiss trains stop what next? read more...
23 June 2005
The differences between Winter and Summer are getting narrower, but this may indirectly cause more problems. If the Swiss trains stop what next? read more...
Prompt sold off with strength returning to the back end.
The options players haven't really left. read more...
13 June 2005
The options players haven't really left. read more...
Prompt Dichotomy
Contango causing large customers to manage their own risk. read more...
08 June 2005
Contango causing large customers to manage their own risk. read more...
Saltend the clue to the future
Americans think power price may fall whilst the Brits are happy to view a power price rise. read more...
31 May 2005
Americans think power price may fall whilst the Brits are happy to view a power price rise. read more...
Winter 05 as predicted by Powerisk hits the magic half century.
Winter hits a half century, worryingly on low volume. read more...
25 May 2005
Winter hits a half century, worryingly on low volume. read more...
Scottish Power copy their cousins
Scots back home and ready for a good local turf war. read more...
24 May 2005
Scots back home and ready for a good local turf war. read more...
Correlation breakdown or correction
Spark spread rises in line with market norm. read more...
10 May 2005
Spark spread rises in line with market norm. read more...
Pain in the IAS 39
IAS 39 appears to be a minefield for accountants to make money. read more...
13 April 2005
IAS 39 appears to be a minefield for accountants to make money. read more...
UK Government Faces legal challenge over FiT cuts
Friends of the Earth are seeking a judicial review following DECCs failure to amend its plans to significantly cut the current Feed-in-Tariffs. This follows another legal challenge that has been brought by solar power developer Solarcentury. read more...
14 November 2011
Friends of the Earth are seeking a judicial review following DECCs failure to amend its plans to significantly cut the current Feed-in-Tariffs. This follows another legal challenge that has been brought by solar power developer Solarcentury. read more...
Italy draws attention
Greece will be pleased to be out of the spotlight as focus switches to Italy. Interest rates on Italian Bonds have risen above 7% - the level which caused Ireland and Portugal to go looking for help. read more...
11 November 2011
Greece will be pleased to be out of the spotlight as focus switches to Italy. Interest rates on Italian Bonds have risen above 7% - the level which caused Ireland and Portugal to go looking for help. read more...
Market Responds Positively to Greek Coalition Government
Commodity prices strengthen on coalition Government news from Greece. Third day of gains in the oil markets helping to fuel other energy commoditities. read more...
07 November 2011
Commodity prices strengthen on coalition Government news from Greece. Third day of gains in the oil markets helping to fuel other energy commoditities. read more...
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