ETRM Vendors on the Move

There have been a number of press releases in recent days with regards to ETRM/CTRM product vendors:

  • OpenLink | Acquires SMARTsoftware for Agricultural, Soft, and Biofuel solutions. This is another illustration of vendors wanting to extend focus beyond just an “energy” footprint into the larger “commodities space” and it appears that the physical characteristics of these products means acquisition is the fastest mechanism to improve footprint as well as establish a customer base and storyline with that customer segment.
  • CTRM Vendors | CTRM vendors look to M&A for functional growth. Another article that looks at the overall trend of using M&A to achieve growth in the product vendor space.
  • SolArc | Inks big deal with SHV. SolArc is continuing to have great success with business whose business has a lot of physical movement.
  • TPT | Acquires Enerbility Software for easy integration of back office STP. Operational effectiveness has been a push for many years in the Credit and Equities markets and the desire to achieve lower operational risk and refocus human resources to more leveraged areas is clearly making its way into Commodities now too. The interest in “documentation solutions” (e.g., storage, workflow, generation, and confirmation) is showing up as a strong goal across all asset classes in 2010 and Commodities specific solutions – like Enerbility – are starting to gain focus.

Hedge Funds Are Placing Record Bullish Bets On Oil

Unlike small speculators, who lack the firepower to move prices and have generally been on the wrong side of trades, large speculators tend to be the market movers.

Gensler calls for tighter regulation of dealers

Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) chairman Gary Gensler refused to detail a timetable for imposing position limits on energy traders today, but called for tighter regulation of dealers in over-the-counter derivatives.