LONDON, Jan. 28, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Platts, a leading global energy and commodity information provider and premier source of benchmark price references, has launched a new data-delivery service that makes Platts price assessments, historical prices and other reference data available in a matter of seconds.

"With commodity markets in a period of rapid change - news of geopolitical uncertainties, swings in outlook and trade flow shifts - the need for timely cross-commodity pricing data has never been more important," said Marina Goche, director of Platts product development & management. "Now with Market Data Direct, and its instant delivery of Platts data, traders and asset managers can gain deep market insight quickly and more confidently adjust trading and portfolio allocations to changing market conditions."

Platts Market Data Direct delivers directly to a customer's desktop (via an API* or Excel Plug-in) a customizable selection of Platts daily price assessments , historical price data, and other reference information for: oil, petrochemicals, electric power, natural gas, coal, biofuels, metals, sugar and other agricultural commodities. Data is available by individual commodity price assessment as soon as it is published, eliminating the time lag associated with packaged collections traditionally offered hours later.

The product's enhanced functionality makes it user friendly, reduces the need for manual data searches, and facilitates a wider use of the data.

Key attributes of Platts Market Data Direct:

    --  More meaningful data: options to filter out unwanted market data,
        thereby isolating data more pertinent to the user
    --  Faster access to historical data: historical data packages available
        immediately, rather than hours and days later
    --  Easier interrogation of data: customizable watch-lists and alerts; view
        of the latest price movements; and, ability to automate processes
        typically done manually, all of which aid time and process efficiency
    --  Easier and faster integration of Platts data into proprietary systems:
        ability to seamlessly incorporate price, historical and reference data
        into proprietary and third-party applications

Platts Market Data Direct is an evolution of Platts Market Data and is designed to help customers access and interpret commodity data faster, easier and more efficiently. Full details are available at www.platts.com/mdd.

*Product delivery is available via application programming interface (API) data stream and/or via Microsoft Excel plug in

About Platts: Founded in 1909, Platts is a leading global provider of energy, petrochemicals, metals and agriculture information and a premier source of benchmark prices for the physical and futures markets. Platts' news, pricing, analytics, commentary and conferences help customers make better-informed trading and business decisions and help the markets operate with greater transparency and efficiency. Customers in more than 150 countries benefit from Platts' coverage of the biofuels, carbon emissions, coal, electricity, oil, natural gas, metals, nuclear power, petrochemical, shipping and sugar markets. A division of McGraw Hill Financial (NYSE: MHFI), Platts is based in London with more than 1000 employees in more than 15 offices worldwide. Additional information is available at www.platts.com.

About McGraw Hill Financial: McGraw Hill Financial (NYSE: MHFI) is a leading financial intelligence company providing the global capital and commodity markets with independent benchmarks, credit ratings, portfolio and enterprise risk solutions, and analytics. The Company's iconic brands include: Standard & Poor's Ratings Services, S&P Capital IQ, S&P Dow Jones Indices, Platts, CRISIL and J.D. Power. The Company has approximately 17,000 employees in 30 countries. Additional information is available at www.mhfi.com.

CONTACT
Global & U.S.: Kathleen Tanzy: +1 212 904 2860, kathleen.tanzy@platts.com

SOURCE Platts

SOURCE: Platts