NEW YORK, April 10 /PRNewswire/ --

Platts, the world's leading energy information provider and a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE: MHP), today said it would launch Platts Editorial Window (eWindow), an online tool that will improve the transparency, efficiency and user experience of Platts' Market-on-Close (MOC) price-assessment process. For more than a decade, Platts MOC has been well recognized for its reporting of daily price benchmarks in the global oil markets.

With eWindow, Platts will provide customers of its real-time oil information service, Platts Global Alert (PGA), with an innovative online tool that will significantly improve trading participants' ability to communicate with Platts editors during the daily MOC oil price-assessment window. The tabular screen layout facilitates a real-time view of market activity and counterparty transparency and provides for easy screen customization. MOC participants may submit bids and offers directly to eWindow, which will allow all market participants to instantly view and respond to that information. Automated controls as well as Platts editorial oversight will ensure full conformance with the Platts MOC price-assessment guidelines and procedures.

Technology for eWindow has been customized for Platts under a license agreement with IntercontinentalExchange (NYSE: ICE), which operates the leading electronic trading platform of global futures and over the counter (OTC) energy markets.

"For nearly a century, Platts has served the needs of the energy industry by enabling transparent and efficient energy markets," said Victoria Chu Pao, President of Platts. "As the number of participants and volume of market activity in our MOC processes have grown, participants have asked Platts to implement technology that would provide faster and better communications systems to our editors. We believe that Platts eWindow, by harnessing a widely-used and leading-edge technology, represents a significant operational upgrade to our current system."

"Platts eWindow takes data gathering and transparency in the Platts MOC assessment process to the next level," said Dan Tanz, Vice President of Platts Editorial. "The automated data-entry platform will provide improved visibility of market activity and faster communications between market participants and Platts editors. While our MOC process will continue to support other communications channels such as phone and instant messaging to Platts editors, we believe the benefits of online participation via eWindow will be compelling to traders and brokers alike."

Platts eWindow will be available initially to PGA customers in Singapore for use in the Asian crude oil markets beginning in the summer of 2007. Introduction of the operational upgrade to other Asian oil markets and other regions are planned during the year.

About Platts

Platts, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE: MHP), is a leading global provider of energy and metals information and a top supplier of benchmark prices in the physical markets. With nearly a century of business experience, Platts serves customers across more than 150 countries. From 14 offices worldwide, Platts serves the oil, natural gas, electricity, nuclear power, coal, petrochemical and metals markets. Platts' real time news, pricing, analytical services, and conferences help markets operate with transparency and efficiency. Traders, risk managers, analysts, and industry leaders depend upon Platts to help them make better trading and investment decisions. Additional information is available at http://www.platts.com.

About The McGraw-Hill Companies:

Founded in 1888, The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE: MHP) is a leading global information services provider meeting worldwide needs in the financial services, education and business information markets through leading brands such as Standard & Poor's, McGraw-Hill Education, BusinessWeek and J.D. Power and Associates. The Corporation has more than 280 offices in 40 countries. Sales in 2006 were US$6.3 billion. Additional information is available at http://www.mcgraw-hill.com.

Web site: http://www.mcgraw-hill.com http://www.platts.com

Kathleen Tanzy, Kathleen_tanzy@platts.com, +1-212-904-2860; or Europe: Dan Tanz, Dan_tanz@platts.com, +44-20-7176-6170; or Asia: John Ho, John_ho@platts.com, +65-65306595