CBOT® Breaks Exchange Volume And Open Interest Records

The Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) today announced that new exchange daily volume and open interest records were set on May 21, 2003. Total exchange trading volume reached 2,750,567 contracts yesterday, eclipsing the previous volume record of 2,690,963 contracts traded on February 27, 2003. Open interest also reached an all-time exchange high of 8,805,148 contracts, surpassing the previous high of 8,611,989 set on May 20, 2003.

CBOT Chairman Charles P. Carey said, "Yesterday's records demonstrate once again that in times of economic uncertainty, market users the world over rely on the diverse product mix, deep pool of liquidity and unmatched integrity and transparency found in the open auction and electronic markets of the Chicago Board of Trade."

The CBOT's electronic trading platform also set a trading record yesterday of 1,482,442 contracts, surpassing the previous record of 1,332,419 set on March 13 2002.