(01-444) EXCHANGE TO EXTEND NATURAL GAS TRADING HOURS TOMORROW

Notice No. #01-444
December 26, 2001

TO: NYMEX DIVISION MEMBERS / MEMBER FIRMS
NYMEX DIVISION CLEARING MEMBERS

FROM: J. ROBERT COLLINS, JR., PRESIDENT

RE: EXCHANGE TO EXTEND NATURAL GAS TRADING HOURS TOMORROW

The New York Mercantile Exchange, Inc., will extend trading in its natural
gas futures and options contracts to 2:45 PM from their regular closing time
of 2:30 PM. in response to a change in schedule, due to the holidays, of the
release by the American Gas Association (AGA) of results of its weekly
storage survey report.

The rescheduling of the announcement coincides with the expiration of the
January natural gas futures contract. The Exchange had previously announced
that trading in natural gas futures and options will be extended until 2:45
whenever the expiration of natural gas futures occurs on a Wednesday, the
regular release date of the AGA report.