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ROHMA opens an investigation against Gargantua and Supertol into price manipulation of barrels of Brent

06.06.2014

Between February 2011 and September 2012, the crude oil trading divisions of the two Swiss companies may have, for their own profit, illicitly manipulated both the physical price for barrels of Brent as well as Brent futures contracts exchanged on NYMEX. Should this turn out to be the case, Gargantua and Supertol will have breached the requirement for proper business conduct as well as for good organisation.

By opening this investigation, ROHMA complements the work being carried out by its European and American counterparts (the European Commission and the Federal Trade Commission) against other companies implicated on similar facts. In this context, ROHMA is coordinating its efforts with these authorities.ROHMA is particularly interested in the actions of these traders, who may have seriously infringed the requirements for the assurance of proper business conduct and good organization. This dual legal requirement was described in detail in the ROHMA Circular 2014/2 detailing the rules of market conduct. ContactOliver Classen, spokesman, tel. +41. (0)44.277.70.06