Notice No. 01-427
December 6, 2001

TO: 		All NYMEX and COMEX Division Members
		All Clearing Members and Member Firms

FROM: 		J. Robert Collins, Jr., President

RE: 		EXCHANGE EXTENDS ABBREVIATED TRADING HOURS INDEFINITELY

The New York Mercantile Exchange, Inc., today announced that it would extend
the abbreviated trading hours currently in place indefinitely.

The Exchange board made this decision in light of continued commuting
concerns and the heavier-than-normal volumes experienced by the Exchange,
despite the reduced hours.

Trading hours are as follows:


Contract				Open Outcry Trading	NYMEX
ACCESS
 Trading
Copper					8:10 AM to 1:00 PM	7 Sun./3:15
PM, M-Th to 8 AM
Aluminum				8:15AM to 12:55 PM	7 Sun./3:15
PM, M-Th to 8 AM
Gold					9:00 AM to 1:30 PM	7 Sun./3:15
PM, M-Th to 8 AM
Silver					9:05 AM to 1:25 PM	7 Sun./3:15
PM, M-Th to 8 AM
Eurotop 100
 and 300
 futures		8:15 AM to 11:00 AM
Platinum 				8:20 AM to 1:05 PM	7 Sun./3:15
PM, M-Th to 8 AM
Palladium				8:30 AM to 1 PM		7 Sun./3:15
PM, M-Th to 8 AM
Propane 					9:20 AM to 1:10 PM	5 to
7 PM, Mon. - Thurs.
Natural Gas		          	          	10:00 AM to 2:30 PM*
7 Sun./3:15 PM, M-Th to 9 AM
Brent Crude Oil				9:45 AM to 2:30 PM	7 Sun./3:15
PM, M-Th to 9 AM
Light, Sweet Crude Oil         	          	10:00 AM to 2:30 PM	7
Sun./3:15 PM, M-Th to 9 AM
Heating Oil		    		 10:05 AM to 2:30 PM	7 Sun./3:15
PM, M-Th to 9 AM
Unleaded Gasoline	    		 10:05 AM to 2:30 PM	7 Sun./3:15
PM, M-Th to 9 AM
Crack Spread Options	          	          	10:05 AM to 2:30 PM

Brent/WTI Spread Options  	         	10:00 AM to 2:30 PM
Coal Futures		          	          	10:30 AM to 2:00 PM


*Natural gas futures and options will close at 2:45 PM on any futures
termination day that falls on a Wednesday.