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Derivatives daily trading volume at 3.8 million contracts, says NYSE Euronext

April 30, 2009 at 5:05 pm

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NYSE Euronext says that in the first quarter of 2009, European derivatives average daily trading volume was 3.8 million contracts, a decrease of 17.0 per cent compared to the first quarPARA_BREAK_SENTINEL_9f8e7d6c

NYSE Euronext says that in the first quarter of 2009, European derivatives average daily trading volume was 3.8 million contracts, a decrease of 17.0 per cent compared to the first quarter of 2008, but an increase of 2.4 per cent from the fourth quarter of 2008.

The first quarter of 2008 was a record quarter for NYSE Liffe. Bclear, NYSE Liffe's trade administration and clearing service, processed an average of 700,000 contracts per day in the first quarter of 2009, an increase of 31.6 per cent, compared to the first quarter of 2008.

NYSE Liffe launched futures contracts on 13 MSCI indices on Bclear in the first quarter of 2009. The 13 MSCI indices are used by asset managers as well-established benchmarks of companies' performance in a range of regions and markets around the world and together they offer global coverage. NYSE Liffe's launch of futures on the MSCI indices is designed to accommodate for the current lack of regional, exchange-traded index futures outside Europe.

NYSE Liffe, through Bclear, launched commodity cash-settled swap futures and options against the benchmark Robusta Coffee, Cocoa and White Sugar contracts already traded on NYSE Liffe. Further commodity products, including soft and agricultural products, are expected to be added to Bclear in the future.

NYSE Liffe introduced two new connectivity options that will enable customers in Frankfurt, Germany to access the NYSE Liffe derivatives market faster and more cost-effectively. Customers in Frankfurt are now able to connect to one of two NYSE Euronext Secure Financial Transaction Infrastructure centres in Frankfurt.

In the first quarter of 2009, US equity options average daily trading volume was 2.3 million contracts, a 17.2 per cent increase compared to the first quarter of 2008, which did not include trading activity from the former Amex options business acquired in the fourth quarter of 2008. Overall US equity options industry ADV contracted 1.5 per cent during the same period. US option ADV for issues in the Penny Pilot was 1.3 million contracts, a 33.0 per cent increase compared to the first quarter of 2008, which did not include the Amex option business.

NYSE Liffe US precious metals futures ADV in the first quarter of 2009 was 21,000 contracts, for a total of 1.3 million contracts traded during the quarter.