DME board of directors appoints CEO

Notes and media contacts

• A photograph of Mr King is available on request.

• In September 2005 the Dubai Mercantile Exchange announced the appointment of Ahmad Sharaf as Chairman and Gordon Rutledge as Chief Operating Officer.

• Dubai Holding and the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) announced the formation of the Dubai Mercantile Exchange (DME), a joint venture to develop the Middle East's first energy futures exchange, in June 2005.

• The DME will be based in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), a financial free zone designed to promote financial services within the UAE.

• The DME will be regulated by the Dubai Financial Services Authority, a regulatory body established within the DIFC and charged with the creation of a world-class regulatory regime which promotes integrity, transparency and efficiency.

• The DME is expected to open for trading in the second half of 2006.

CONTACTS:

Dubai Mercantile Exchange
Dubai:
Jorge Camara
+971 4 319 23 28

Financial Dynamics
London:
Seán Galvin
+44 (0)20 7269 7133

GCC:
Laila Danesh
+973 17537072

Asia:
Julie Wang
+852 2293 2257

New York:
Charles Armitstead
+ 1 212 850 5691

Forward Looking and Cautionary Statements
This press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act, with respect to our future performance, operating results, strategy, and other future events. Such statements generally include words such as could, can, anticipate, believe, expect, seek, pursue, and similar words and terms, in connection with any discussion of future results. Forward-looking statements involve a number of assumptions, risks, and uncertainties, any of which may cause actual results to differ materially from the anticipated, estimated, or projected results referenced in forward-looking statements. In particular, the forward-looking statements of NYMEX Holdings, Inc., and its subsidiaries are subject to the following risks and uncertainties: the success and timing of new futures contracts and products; changes in political, economic, or industry conditions; the unfavourable resolution of material legal proceedings; the impact and timing of technological changes and the adequacy of intellectual property protection; the impact of legislative and regulatory actions, including without limitation, actions by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission; and terrorist activities and international hostilities, which may affect the general economy as well as oil and other commodity markets. We assume no obligation to update or supplement our forward-looking statements.

Dubai Mercantile Exchange's (DME) establishment of an exchange inside the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) is subject to regulatory approval from the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) and it being granted an Authorised Market Institution licence to operate inside the DIFC. Furthermore, all clearing and settlement services to be provided by the New York Mercantile Exchange to DME are subject to the New York Mercantile Exchange becoming recognised by the DFSA to operate a remote clearing house in the DIFC and subject to the review and/or approval of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission."