Intercontinental Exchange, the global network of exchanges and clearing houses, has reported the first trade in the Italian PSV futures contract at ICE Endex.

The first Italian (Punto di Scambio Virtuale – Virtual Trading Point; PSV) futures trade represented 5 MW for delivery in October 2015. The two counterparties to the trade were Axpo Italia S.p.A., the Italian energy trading subsidiary of Axpo Group and Electrade S.p.A., a European energy trading company. The trade was cleared by ICE Clear Europe.

Announced in June, and in compliance with Italian law, ICE is the first exchange to create a cleared solution for physically delivered Italian natural gas futures contracts. ICE has introduced physically delivered PSV natural gas futures contracts in cooperation with Gestore dei Mercati Energetici S.p.A (GME), Snam S.p.A., and the Italian authorities.

The counterparties, Axpo Italia and Electrade, confirmed their participation in the first transaction at the request of ICE, says ICE.

The ECSDA (European Central Securities Depositories Association) has just released its latest Factbook offering an up-to-date overview of the CSD landscape in Europe.

NOREXCO ASA is to start exchange services for the pulp and paper industry, becoming the world´s only derivatives exchange for the sector.

Russia's National Settlement Depository (NSD), the country’s central securities depository, says it has implemented back-to-back settlements technology for off-exchange DVP (delivery versus payment) transactions. Trading bank accounts and transactions may be in Russian rubles, US dollars, euro, or yuan.

Clearstream reports that the overall value of assets under custody held on behalf of customers registered an increase of 8 percent to EUR 13.2 trillion (compared to EUR 12.2 trillion in August 2014). 

Euroclear Bank has opened an account with Hong Kong’s Central Securities Depositary, the Central Moneymarkets Unit (CMU).