OREANDA-NEWS. Singapore Exchange (SGX) has been named ‘Exchange of the Year’ at the Energy Risk Awards 2016, becoming the first Asian exchange to receive this title. The ceremony for the awards, which recognise excellence across the global energy and commodities markets, was held in Houston, USA on 17 May. SGX was selected by a judging panel consisting of Energy Risk’s editorial team and industry experts in recognition of SGX’s innovation in commodity derivatives and energy risk management.

Over the past year, SGX has added to its growing suite of commodity derivatives and price discovery tools. In October 2015, SGX launched the Asian liquefied natural gas (LNG) spot price index, SGX LNG Index Group (SLInG), together with its subsidiary Energy Market Company (EMC) and later successfully launched cash-settled SLInG LNG swaps and futures to address the growing need for risk management, and also to support the continued growth of LNG trading in Asia.

Building on EMC’s successful track record in building Asia’s first liberalised spot electricity market, SGX has also made progress in advancing its efforts to pioneer Asia’s first electricity futures market, with the SGX Electricity Futures trading volume continuing to reach new monthly records since trading started in June 2015. EMC is also working with the local gas industry to help develop Asia’s first physical secondary gas trading market (SGTM).

These are significant milestones in SGX’s plans to create the next frontier for risk management as Asia’s power and gas markets liberalise. They add to the existing strengths of SGX’s commodities portfolio, in particular iron ore and dry bulk freight derivatives and SGX SICOM rubber futures, which have achieved record monthly volumes this year.

Loh Boon Chye, CEO of SGX, said, “We are honoured to receive this global award, and delighted that our ability to meet the evolving risk management demands of the energy markets is being recognised internationally. We are grateful to our clients and partners for their continued support, without which this accolade would not have been possible.”