NEWS RELEASE

Office of External Communications

Houston, TX 77204-5017 Fax: 713.743.8199

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 6, 2006

Contact: Angie Joe
713.743.8153 (office)
713.617.7138 (pager)
ajoe@uh.edu
DON’T CRY OVER LOST COMMODITIES: 5th ANNUAL OPEN OUTCRY COMPETITION

Waving hands in the air, paper on the floor and shouts resonating from wall to wall….

This scene is typical of the fifth annual Open Outcry Competition to be held Saturday, April 8, in the AIM Center at the University of Houston’s C.T. Bauer College of Business.

More than 130 students from the University of Houston, Texas A&M, University of Texas, Rice University, Oklahoma State University, Rollins College (FL), Southern Methodist University and Columbia University (NY) will sweat it out under the intense pressure of the simulated New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX). The number of participants is more than double the previous year’s.

The competition closely resembles the experience of a NYMEX energy trader and risk manager. Students from the participating colleges will clamor their way through three elimination rounds in which the top students will compete for scholarships. The day’s activities will be followed with a networking dinner for students.

Judges for the competition are current and former NYMEX traders. Students will be graded on their ability to execute orders, follow floor rules and fill out their trade cards, pit cards and tickets. The competition will last from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., including breaks for lunch and judging. Each round will allow only 15 minutes for students to execute trades, adding even more pressure to the competition.

WHAT: Open Outcry Trading Competition
WHO: Finance students from UH, Rice, A&M and UT
WHEN: Saturday, April 8, 2006
11 a.m. –12:30 p.m. Initial round of competition
12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. Lunch and judging
1:30 p.m. – 2 p.m. Final round of competition
2 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Judging
2:30 p.m. - 3 p.m. Awards and closing remarks
WHERE: AIM Center for Investment Management, Melcher Hall, University of Houston Entrance 1
DIRECTIONS: From downtown, take I-45 South toward Galveston. Exit Spur 5 South (exit #44B), then turn right at first light on to University Dr. Bauer College (Melcher Hall) is the 3-story black building on the right, and parking is available in front the building.

For more information about UH visit the university’s ‘Newsroom’ at www.uh.edu/admin/media/newsroom.