Richard Hershey v. Energy Transfer Partners

PRADO, Circuit Judge:

This is a putative class action under the Commodities Exchange Act (“CEA”), alleging manipulation of natural gas futures and options prices. Richard Hershey and Roberto E. Gracey (“Plaintiffs”) purchased and sold New York Mercantile Exchange (“NYMEX”) natural gas futures contracts. Plaintiffs sued Energy Transfer Partners, L.P. and its affiliates (collective!y, “Defendants”) for allegedly manipulating the price of natural gas delivered at the Houston Ship Channel (“HSC”) and alleged economic harm to their NYMEX natural gas futures contracts caused by that manipulation.…