Press Releases

Andy Weissman, Energy Industry Veteran, To Provide Market-Leading Analysis

Annapolis, MD - February 6, 2006
FTI Consulting, Inc. (NYSE: FCN), a premier provider of problem-solving consulting and technology services to major corporations, financial institutions and law firms, announced today the launch of FTI Energy Business Watch, a comprehensive, in-depth energy advisory service for energy producers, traders, investors and users.

Andy Weissman, whose contrarian views on oil and natural gas supply and pricing have been proven over the past three years, leads the FTI Energy Business Watch team. The service will expand upon Mr. Weissman's widely followed energy research and analysis service, Energy Business Watch, which he authored prior to joining FTI.

“FTI Energy Business Watch will give subscribers a much-needed leg-up with timely, accurate updates and analysis on the most critical supply and pricing issues,” said Mr. Weissman. “Over the past four years, there have been huge, unexpected dislocations in energy pricing. Unfortunately, none of the major energy price forecasting firms have succeeded in anticipating these shifts in energy prices before they occur.”

Continued Mr. Weissman, “Our value proposition is straightforward: we intend to provide the financial community, traders, major energy companies and energy users unsurpassed market intelligence on the natural gas, oil and electricity markets in the US and the rapidly developing global market for LNG.”

Mr. Weissman has a noted track record for providing accurate, market-leading analysis:

In the spring of 2005, he warned investors that increasing electric demand and the shift to gas-fired generation had left the market severely exposed to natural gas price spikes in the summer of 2005.
In January of 2005, when oil prices were still in the $40s, Mr. Weissman correctly predicted that prices would reach $65 per barrel by late summer 2005.

In 2002, his pioneering work identified the roots of the current natural gas and oil price run-up. Since then, he has accurately forecasted natural gas and oil supply and demand trends that have resulted in the doubling of energy prices in the past three years. Aubrey K. McClendon, CEO of Chesapeake Energy Corporation, the second largest independent producer of natural gas in the US, says, “For any substantial consumer or producer of energy or for any investment manager who wants an industry insider's take on the market, Andy's advice is indispensable.”

Dominic DiNapoli, FTI's chief operating officer, said “Andy's exceptional reputation and ability to provide forward-looking energy industry insight is a great addition to FTI's already significant expertise in the oil and natural gas industries.”

“FTI Energy Business Watch is a core element of our services. Dramatic changes are afoot in the energy markets. We are committed to assisting our clients during this challenging period, filled with opportunity and peril,” Mr. DiNapoli said.

The FTI Energy Business Watch service (www.ftienergybusinesswatch.com) will entail the following services:

Energy Advisory Service
The Energy Advisory Service provides comprehensive coverage of energy markets in two regular weekly reports, flash bulletins on breaking news, and occasional special reports on major developments and emerging issues. It includes:

Energy Market Outlook
Published each Monday morning, Energy Market Outlook is a concise overview of energy markets, including short- and long-term forecasts for natural gas and petroleum oil prices, natural gas storage injections/withdrawals, crude oil, gasoline, and distillate inventories, and brief discussions of key variables expected to influence prices, with a particular emphasis on the impact of weather. The report also includes "What the Charts Are Telling Us," a brief commentary on a selection of charts illustrating critical market and industry trends.

Energy Issues & Trends
Published each Tuesday, Energy Issues & Trends focuses on major factors influencing the markets – including a discussion of the analysis behind each week's forecasts – and provides early warning of likely shifts in the market's direction. Key market indicators – such as changes in inventory levels, positions held by funds, crack spreads, basis differentials, and the relative pricing of different fuels – are systematically tracked. In the first week of each month, Energy Issues & Trends discusses longer-term trends, forecasts for the supply/demand balance and prices over the next 90 days, updated storage projections for the remainder of the season, and an assessment of the potential impact of weather swings on the price of natural gas and heating oil.

Flash Reports
Weekly service subscribers also receive special flash bulletins, published at any hour, whenever significant developments occur that might impact energy markets – from hurricanes to major refinery outages to political upheavals. A special flash bulletin was issued on the Sunday before Hurricane Katrina smashed into New Orleans, warning of its devastating impact on natural gas supplies and prices.

Special Reports
From time to time, FTI Energy Business Watch publishes Special Reports on emerging trends or major developments in the energy markets. Recent topics have included the future for LNG, coal gasification, and the short- and long-term impact of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Subscribers to the weekly service have website access to all special reports, as well as media interviews, presentations and web casts. Special reports are also available as a stand-alone subscription.

Monthly Energy Advisory Service
The monthly provides government officials, educators and investors with a longer-term perspective on energy issues. The Monthly Energy Review, published the first week of each month, provides an overview of longer-term energy trends: supply-demand fundamentals, price trends and relationships among energy sources.

About FTI Consulting
FTI is a premier provider of problem-solving consulting and technology services to major corporations, financial institutions and law firms when confronting critical issues that shape their future and the future of their clients, such as financial and operational improvement, major litigation, mergers and acquisitions and regulatory issues. Strategically located in 24 of the major US cities, London and Melbourne, FTI's total workforce of more than 1,300 employees includes numerous PhDs, MBAs, CPAs, CIRAs and CFEs, who are committed to delivering the highest level of service to clients.