JPMorgan Chase blamed for manipulating energy markets

JPMorgan Chase blamed for manipulating energy marketsThe energy sector regulator in the US has accused financial giant, JPMorgan Chase for its involvement in manipulating the energy markets.

Experts have said that JPMorgan Chase is likely to reach a settlement with the regulator in the country. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's accusation against the company comes ahead of a likely settlement involving millions of dollars. The settlement would allow the company to avoid accusations that displayed trading strategies in a way that it showed inefficient power plants into profit centres.

JPMorgan has not commented on the accusations and has maintained that it has not done anything wrong. The bank is also defending top executives involved in traders in Houston that are blamed for preparing these trading strategies. The bank had acquired the right to sell electricity from power plants after it took over the assets of Bear Stearns in 2008.

The regulator said that the bank JPMorgan's traders adopted eight different "schemes" from September 2010 to June 2011 to turn power plants into profit generators. They offered attractive prices and convinces some states to pay heavy amounts for the power, which pushed up price of electricity in the country.