UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Before the

COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION

In the Matter of the Application of the
Merchants' Exchange of St. Louis, L.L.C.
for Designation as a Contract Market in the
St. Louis Harbor Barge Freight Futures Contract

The Merchants' Exchange of St. Louis, L.L.C. (�MESL�) having submitted, pursuant to Sections 4c and 6 of the Commodity Exchange Act (�Act�), 7 U.S.C. ��6c and 8, an application for designation as a contract market in St. Louis Harbor Barge Freight futures contracts and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (�Commission�) having reviewed the application and the complete record in this matter, and for the reasons set forth in the memoranda submitted to the Commission by the Division of Trading and Markets and the Division of Economic Analysis recommending that the Commission designate MESL as a contract market in such futures contracts, the Commission finds that for purposes of this application MESL has demonstrated compliance with the requirements under the Act and Commission�s regulations thereunder applicable to it. Therefore,

IT IS HEREBY ORDERED, under Sections 4c and 5 of the Act, 7 U.S.C. ��6c and 7, that the application of MESL for designation as a contract market in St. Louis Harbor Barge Freight futures contracts is granted,

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that this grant of designation shall be subject to compliance with all sections of the Act and regulations thereunder applicable to MESL as a contract market under the Act, including those areas in which MESL contracts with outside parties to provide services in this regard,

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that, for purposes of Commission Regulation 1.59, NFA and Exchange Cubed employees who provide services to MESL, shall be considered employees of MESL, and therefore, subject to a total trading prohibition in futures and options contracts traded on MESL,

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED, under Commission Regulation 1.35(l), 17 C.F.R. 1.35(l), that MESL and MESL trading privilege holders be granted an exemption from the requirements of Commission Regulations 1.35(d), (j) and (k), 17 C.F.R. 1.35(d), (j) and (k), and

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that MESL members and MESL trading privilege holders who trade only for their proprietary accounts at MESL shall not be deemed to be floor traders, under Commission Regulation 1.3(x), 17 C.F.R. 1.3(x), on the basis of that trading activity alone.

Issued in Washington, D.C., this 10th day of July, 2000.

By the Commission

Jean A. Webb
Secretary of the Commission

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Before the

COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION

In the Matter of the Application of the
Merchants' Exchange of St. Louis, L.L.C.
for Designation as a Contract Market in the
Illinois Waterway Barge Freight Futures Contract

�

The Merchants' Exchange of St. Louis, L.L.C. (�MESL�) having submitted, pursuant to Sections 4c and 6 of the Commodity Exchange Act (�Act�), 7 U.S.C. ��6c and 8, an application for designation as a contract market in Illinois Waterway Barge Freight futures contracts and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (�Commission�) having reviewed the application and the complete record in this matter, and for the reasons set forth in the memoranda submitted to the Commission by the Division of Trading and Markets and the Division of Economic Analysis recommending that the Commission designate MESL as a contract market in such futures contracts, the Commission finds that for purposes of this application MESL has demonstrated compliance with the requirements under the Act and Commission�s regulations thereunder applicable to it. Therefore,

IT IS HEREBY ORDERED, under Sections 4c and 5 of the Act, 7 U.S.C. ��6c and 7, that the application of MESL for designation as a contract market in Illinois Waterway Barge Freight futures contracts is granted,

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that this grant of designation shall be subject to compliance with all sections of the Act and regulations thereunder applicable to MESL as a contract market under the Act, including those areas in which MESL contracts with outside parties to provide services in this regard,

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that, for purposes of Commission Regulation 1.59, NFA and Exchange Cubed employees who provide services to MESL, shall be considered employees of MESL, and therefore, subject to a total trading prohibition in futures and options contracts traded on MESL,

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED, under Commission Regulation 1.35(l), 17 C.F.R. 1.35(l), that MESL and MESL trading privilege holders be granted an exemption from the requirements of Commission Regulations 1.35(d), (j) and (k), 17 C.F.R. 1.35(d), (j) and (k), and

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that MESL members and MESL trading privilege holders who trade only for their proprietary accounts at MESL shall not be deemed to be floor traders, under Commission Regulation 1.3(x), 17 C.F.R. 1.3(x), on the basis of that trading activity alone.

Issued in Washington, D.C., this 10th day of July, 2000.

By the Commission

Jean A. Webb
Secretary of the Commission