Intercontinental Exchange Inc. - ICE STOCK NEWS

Intercontinental Exchange (NYSE: ICE) has announced its 2023 holiday calendar for cash equity markets, including the New York Stock Exchange and NYSE American. The calendar outlines early closing dates and holiday observances, including New Year’s Day (January 2), Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (January 16), and others through the year. Notably, markets will close early at 1:00 PM on certain dates, with specific details regarding crossing session orders. The NYSE Group leads U.S. equity volume and remains a key player in global markets.

Intercontinental Exchange (NYSE: ICE) has appointed Jaime L. Klima as the new Chief Regulatory Officer of NYSE Group. Klima, who will assume her responsibilities in January 2021, previously held senior positions at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and the Securities and Exchange Commission. Her extensive regulatory background will guide NYSE Regulation in enforcing compliance with listing standards and federal securities laws. President Stacey Cunningham expressed confidence in Klima's leadership during crucial times for capital markets.

Intercontinental Exchange (NYSE:ICE) has been selected to conduct emissions auctions for the UK Government's Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. This initiative supports the launch of the UK Emissions Trading Scheme (UK ETS) starting January 1, 2021, which replaces the EU ETS. Auctions are set to begin by the second quarter of 2021, pending regulatory approval. ICE has a strong background in environmental markets, with open interest in EUA hitting a record €51.4 billion, reflecting a 20% increase in average daily volume. ICE has hosted EUA auctions for the UK Government since 2012.

In November 2020, interest rates continued to decline, with the 30-year note rate dropping to 2.97%, marking a 1% decrease from November 2019. FHA and Conventional loan rates fell to 2.99% and the VA loan rate reached 2.72%. Refinances accounted for 61% of all closed loans, up from 49% year-over-year. However, average FICO scores dipped to 752 and closing rates slightly decreased to 75.6%. The time to close loans extended to 55 days. Demand for refinancing remains strong amid ongoing pandemic-related economic conditions.

Intercontinental Exchange (NYSE:ICE) has launched the GBP SONIA ICE Swap Rate benchmark, offering a new option for licensees transitioning from LIBOR. This benchmark is determined using the ICE Swap Rate's 'Waterfall' methodology with input from SONIA interest rate swaps and will be available concurrently with GBP LIBOR settings. The launch follows positive market feedback and successful beta testing since October 2020. Tim Bowler, President of ICE Benchmark Administration, emphasized the significance of this development for the non-linear derivatives market.

Intercontinental Exchange (NYSE: ICE) has launched futures on 10 additional MSCI indices, enhancing its offering of ESG-focused investment tools. These include four climate-related indices aimed at integrating climate and carbon risk into investment strategies. Noteworthy new contracts include the MSCI World Low Carbon Leaders and MSCI Europe Climate Change Index Futures. Furthermore, ICE will also list futures for country-specific indices targeting Australia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Hong Kong, among others, reinforcing its commitment to providing diverse financial instruments for market participants.

Intercontinental Exchange (NYSE: ICE) announces the election of Shantella Cooper and Mark Mulhern as new Directors, effective December 4, 2020. Both bring extensive experience; Cooper in business operations and community transformation, and Mulhern in financial leadership. Their addition increases the Board to 14 members, fostering diverse governance. CEO Jeffrey C. Sprecher emphasized their valuable insights will guide ICE's long-term strategy. The appointments align with ICE's mission to enhance transparency and customer focus in its global operations.

Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) has launched West India Marker LNG (Platts) futures contracts, marking a significant step in the liberalization of natural gas markets. These contracts will settle against the S&P Global Platts daily assessment price for LNG delivered to India, Dubai, and Kuwait. As India aims to increase its LNG consumption from 6% to 15% by 2030, these futures provide much-needed risk management tools for traders in South and West Asia. The increased participation in LNG benchmarks such as TTF and JKM further highlights the evolving natural gas market dynamics.