CME Group Announces the Launch of Chinese Steel Rebar Swap Futures Based on Mysteel Index

CME Group, the world’s leading and most diverse derivatives marketplace announced Sept 27 the launch of Chinese Steel Rebar HRB400 (Mysteel) Swap Futures to begin trading on October 15, subject to regulatory review. This product, which will be listed with, and subject to the rules and regulations of NYMEX, will be the first product listed by a CME Group exchange based on Mysteel’s market-leading price data services.

“Working closely with Mysteel, our new rebar contract allows customers who have exposure to the Chinese construction and rebar industries to manage their price risk by using the most relevant price data,” said Harriet Hunnable, CME Group Managing Director, Metals Products. “There is demand from industry participants to provide them with tools to help reduce the impact of price volatility throughout the steel supply chain. This product is designed to enable our regional customers to manage rebar price volatility and eliminate counterparty credit risk through a flexible, centrally cleared swap futures product.”

In January, CME Group and Mysteel, China’s leading provider of ferrous price and indexing services announced an agreement to develop risk management products for the ferrous industry. Mysteel is widely used as the benchmark settlement price index for steel mills and traders, traders and end-users.

“Through our partnership with CME Group and the distribution on its CME Globex electronic trading platform, we are able to quickly reach global market participants,” said Zhu Jun Hong, Chairman of Mysteel. “We will continue to work together to identify new products and services that will meet the needs of Chinese ferrous industry participants and help them to manage their risk.”

Rebar HRB400 is used primarily by the construction industry to reinforce concrete, and is defined as a ribbed bar of steel of 20mm diameter under the Production Statistical Indicator System of China’s Steel Industry. These swap futures from CME Group will be equal to 100 metric tons, will be denominated in U.S. Dollars and will be offered for trading on the NYMEX trading floor and for clearing through CME ClearPort.

CME Group’s range of risk management tools for the ferrous industry have broken new ground in producing a comprehensive suite of products covering multiple sources of volatility across the ferrous supply chain. This has become known as the ‘virtual steel mill’.