The Options Industry Council (OIC) announced today that 354,214,236 total options contracts changed hands in February, 34.97 percent more than the 262,434,225 contracts traded in February 2010.
Average daily trading volume in February was 18,642,854 contracts, 34.97 percent higher than the 13,812,328 contracts in the same year ago period. Year-to-date volume for February stood at 732,694,742 contracts, which is 27.65 percent more than 573,995,766 contracts at the same point last year.
Equity options volume (options on individual stocks and ETFs) for February came in at 331,962,409 contracts, up 38.36 percent compared to February of last year when 239,922,344 contracts were traded. On average, 17,471,706 contracts were exchanged each day during February, which is 38.36 percent higher than in February 2010 when 12,627,492 contracts changed hands daily. Equity options year-to-date volume came in at 686,757,923 contracts, up 29.86 percent over the 528,861,827 contracts traded throughout the same period last year.