CBOE Russell 2000 Volatility Index Futures And Options Launch Dates Announced - New Products Offer Volatility Trading On Premier Measure Of Small-Cap U.S. Stocks

CBOE Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: CBOE) today announced it will launch futures and options on the CBOE Russell 2000^® Volatility Index in coming weeks. CBOE Futures Exchange (CFE) will begin trading the futures (ticker: VU) on Monday, November 18, and Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE) plans to introduce trading in the options (ticker: RVX) on Monday, December 2.

The Russell 2000^® Index is the premier measure of the performance of small-capitalization U.S. stocks and an effective gauge and play on the health of the U.S. economy -- 84 percent of the revenues generated by the companies in the index come from within the U.S.

VU futures and RVX options will allow investors to hedge volatility of a portfolio of small-cap stocks and to spread the volatility level of the Russell 2000 against large-cap index volatility to take advantage of differences between small- and large-cap company dynamics.

Used on their own or in combination with other CBOE Volatility Index products, Russell 2000 Volatility Index products will allow customers to hedge, diversify or take a directional view on volatility in the small-cap market sector.

The calculation of the CBOE Russell 2000 Volatility Index (RVX^SM Index) is based on CBOE's VIX^® methodology applied to CBOE listed options on the Russell 2000 Index (RUT), the third most actively traded index option at CBOE in the first half of 2013. The RVX Index is an up-to-the-minute market estimate of the expected 30-day volatility of the RUT Index, calculated using real-time bid/ask quotes of RUT options that are listed on CBOE.

Jane Street Capital, LLC will serve as the Designated Primary Market Maker (DPM) for VU futures traded on CFE, and Group One Trading will be the DPM for the RVX options traded on CBOE.  

For more information on the CBOE Russell 2000 Volatility Index and products, including a video, see www.cboe.com/RVX.  To learn more about CBOE's volatility indexes, including methodology, daily and historical data and charts, contract specifications, and other information, please visit www.cboe.com/volatility.