Former NYMEX Chairman Confirms Equity Proposal for Exchange.

RED BANK, N.J. -- Former NYMEX chairman Michel Marks today confirmed he had written to the NYMEX board on Friday offering to make a fully financed proposal for an equity interest in the exchange.

In the letter Mr. Marks said that his proposed offer "has greater merit and delivers higher value than any other publicly disclosed proposal".

The vehicle for the proposal is a Delaware registered limited liability corporation, 816 Partners LLC.

An 816 Partners SEC filing today named former AT&T chief technology officer Dr. John Davis; former BNP Paribas Commodity Futures CEO Jonathan Arginteanu; COMEX governor and 30 year commodities veteran, Jan Marks; former RB&H Financial Services Chief Financial Officer Jill Ecklund; and a former Lucent Technologies Bell Laboratories executive Michele Sprietsma as part of Mr. Marks' group.

In the letter to directors and a subsequent letter to NYMEX's shareholders, Mr Marks said that since his resignation as a NYMEX director in June he had a team of 20 professionals evaluating 'finance, technology, clearing, data, market-making and constituent relations'.

"We have identified critical needs and issues. We have developed a vision for a 21st century NYMEX and a dynamic plan to fulfill that vision. Technology must be supportive not disruptive to accommodate all market users in the most efficient way possible, both in open outcry and in electronic mode.

"The needs of each and every shareholder must be included in any decision about our future, so that we can all profit".

Mr. Marks urged the board "not to take any action that would preclude or disadvantage our plan from consideration".

"NYMEX is a critically important institution. My commitment is to the members. We need to engage with the members to develop a proposal that recognizes NYMEX's importance to our country and delivers a real future for NYMEX and its shareholders" Mr. Marks said.

SECURITY HOLDERS ARE ADVISED TO READ THE PROXY STATEMENT AND/OR CONSENT SOLICITATION STATEMENT RELATING TO THE SOLICITATION OF PROXIES OR WRITTEN CONSENTS BY 816 PARTNERS LLC AND CERTAIN OF ITS AFFILIATES FROM THE STOCKHOLDERS OF NYMEX HOLDINGS, INC. FOR USE IN CONNECTION WITH A SPECIAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS OR ACTION BY WRITTEN CONSENT OF STOCKHOLDERS IN LIEU OF A MEETING WHEN AND IF SUCH SOLICITATION MATERIALS BECOME AVAILABLE, BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION, INCLUDING INFORMATION RELATING TO THE PARTICIPANTS IN ANY SUCH SOLICITATION. WHEN AND IF COMPLETED, A DEFINITIVE PROXY OR CONSENT SOLICITATION STATEMENT AND A FORM OF PROXY OR WRITTEN CONSENT WILL BE MAILED TO STOCKHOLDERS OF NYMEX HOLDINGS, INC. AND WILL BE AVAILABLE AT NO CHARGE AT THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION'S WEBSITE AT HTTP://WWW.SEC.GOV. INFORMATION RELATING TO THE POTENTIAL PARTICIPANTS IN A POTENTIAL PROXY OR CONSENT SOLICITATION IS CONTAINED IN EXHIBIT 1 TO THE SCHEDULE 14A FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION BY 816 PARTNERS LLC ON SEPTEMBER 19, 2005.