London, 18 April 2011

Based on Platts’ Physical Price Assessments: Platts’ physical price data have been selected as the basis for three new industrial steel futures contracts by CME Group, including scrap, billet and hot-rolled coil. Platts is a leading global energy, metals and petrochemicals information provider and a top publisher of global benchmark reference prices.

“This use of daily Platts ferrous metals data in swap futures contracts marks another milestone in the expertise we’re offering to the steel industry’s entire value chain as it continues its move away from long-term to short-term pricing,“ said Gerald Bueshel, Platts director of global licensing.

“We’re committed to bringing greater transparency to these and other evolving markets through our well established, rigorous physical price assessment processes.”

With today’s launch, the total number of CME Group contracts settled and cleared against physical market price assessments published by Platts is approximately 450.

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For more information on the new Platts-based metals swap futures contracts visit:  http://cmegroup.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=3129&pagetemplate=article.