Platts Announces New Online Communications Tool to Improve the Efficiency and Transparency in Physical Oil Markets

Platts Announces New Online Communications Tool to Improve the Efficiency and Transparency in Physical Oil Markets

April 11, 2007

 
    NEW YORK, April 11 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Platts, the
world's leading energy information provider and a division
of The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE: MHP), today said it
would launch Platts Editorial Window (eWindow), an online
tool that will improve the transparency, efficiency and
user experience of Platts' Market-on-Close (MOC)
price-assessment process. For more than a decade, Platts
MOC has been well recognized for its reporting of daily
price benchmarks in the global oil markets.

    With eWindow, Platts will provide customers of its
real-time oil information service, Platts Global Alert
(PGA), with an innovative online tool that will
significantly improve trading participants' ability to
communicate with Platts editors during the daily MOC oil
price-assessment window.  The tabular screen layout
facilitates a real-time view of market activity and
counterparty transparency and provides for easy screen
customization.  MOC participants may submit bids and offers
directly to eWindow, which will allow all market
participants to instantly view and respond to that
information. Automated controls as well as Platts editorial
oversight will ensure full conformance with the Platts MOC
price-assessment guidelines and procedures.

    Technology for eWindow has been customized for Platts
under a license agreement with IntercontinentalExchange
(NYSE: ICE), which operates the leading electronic trading
platform of global futures and over the counter (OTC)
energy markets.

    "For nearly a century, Platts has served the needs
of the energy industry by enabling transparent and efficient
energy markets," said Victoria Chu Pao, President of
Platts.  "As the number of participants and volume of
market activity in our MOC processes have grown,
participants have asked Platts to implement technology that
would provide faster and better communications systems to
our editors. We believe that Platts eWindow, by harnessing
a widely-used and leading-edge technology, represents a
significant operational upgrade to our current
system."

    "Platts eWindow takes data gathering and
transparency in the Platts MOC assessment process to the
next level," said Dan Tanz, Vice President of Platts
Editorial. "The automated data-entry platform will
provide improved visibility of market activity and faster
communications between market participants and Platts
editors.  While our MOC process will continue to support
other communications channels such as phone and instant
messaging to Platts editors, we believe the benefits of
online participation via eWindow will be compelling to
traders and brokers alike."

    Platts eWindow will be available initially to PGA
customers in Singapore for use in the Asian crude oil
markets beginning in the summer of 2007.  Introduction of
the operational upgrade to other Asian oil markets and
other regions are planned during the year.
 
    About Platts 

    Platts, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE:
MHP), is a leading global provider of energy and metals
information and a top supplier of benchmark prices in the
physical markets. With nearly a century of business
experience, Platts serves customers across more than 150
countries. From 14 offices worldwide, Platts serves the
oil, natural gas, electricity, nuclear power, coal,
petrochemical and metals markets. Platts' real time news,
pricing, analytical services, and conferences help markets
operate with transparency and efficiency. Traders, risk
managers, analysts, and industry leaders depend upon Platts
to help them make better trading and investment decisions.
Additional information is available at
http://www.platts.com.
 
    About The McGraw-Hill Companies: 

    Founded in 1888, The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE: MHP)
is a leading global information services provider meeting
worldwide needs in the financial services, education and
business information markets through leading brands such as
Standard & Poor's, McGraw-Hill Education, BusinessWeek
and J.D. Power and Associates. The Corporation has more
than 280 offices in 40 countries. Sales in 2006 were $6.3
billion. Additional information is available at
http://www.mcgraw-hill.com . 



    For more information, please contact:

     Kathleen Tanzy
     Tel:   [phone]
     Email: [e-mail]
               
    Europe: 
     Dan Tanz
     Tel:   [phone]
     Email: [e-mail]
                      
    Asia: 
     John Ho
     Tel:   [phone]
     Email: [e-mail]