CBOE Futures Exchange (CFE) Shatters Trading Records In May - New Highs Reached In Monthly And Single Day Volume, Open Interest Hits New Peak Of 38,000 Contracts

The CBOE Futures Exchange, LLC (CFE) announced today that May was the busiest month in CFE history as exchange volume totaled 56,295 contracts traded. May's volume shattered the one year old record of 27,692 contracts set in May 2005, and was an increase of 219% over April 2006's volume of 17,641 contracts. The busiest single day in CFE's two-year history also occurred during May when 9,402 contracts traded on Wednesday, May 3.

Average daily volume at CFE for the month's twenty-two trading days was 2,558 contracts, which was up 94% over the previous record of 1,319 contracts from May 2005. On Wednesday, May 17, open interest at CFE reached a new peak of 38,437 contracts. At month's end, open interest stood at 35,618 contracts, a rise of 137% over May 2005's open interest of 15,052 contracts.

Trading volume in futures on the CBOE Volatility Index, VIX, CFE's most-actively traded contract, remained robust during May as a record 50,474 contracts traded, an increase of 182% over May 2005 and eclipsing the previous high mark of 21,502 contracts from January 2006.Additionally, trading volume in futures on the CBOE DJIA Volatility Index (ticker symbol DV) also set a new record in May as 5,183 contracts traded during the month, besting the 2,544 contracts from February 2006.

CFE offers futures on 26 different contracts, including: the CBOE Volatility Index, CBOE S&P 500 Three-Month and Twelve-Month Variance, CBOE DJIA Volatility Index, CBOE China Index, full and mini-size Russell 1000 Index, Mini-Russell 2000 Index, (12) "PowerPacks" sector indexes, and (6) "Gas at the Pump" contracts. Additionally, CFE recently announced the listing of National Association of Realtors Existing-Home Sales Media Price futures contracts, expected to launch in the second quarter of 2006, pending regulatory approval.

CFE, launched in March 2004, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Chicago Board Options Exchange, Incorporated, offering an all-electronic, open access market model, with traders providing liquidity and making markets. CFE is regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and its trades are cleared by the triple-A rated Options Clearing Corporation (OCC). More information on CFE and its products, including contract specifications, can be found at: http://www.cboe.com/CFE.