CFTC Staff Allows Euronext Amsterdam N.V.'s Futures Contracts Based On The Amsterdam Exchanges Index To Be Offered And Sold In The United States

The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission's (CFTC's) Office of General Counsel issued a no-action letter on April 7, 2003, permitting the offer and sale in the United States of Euronext Amsterdam N.V.'s (Euronext Amsterdam's) futures contracts based on the Amsterdam Exchanges Index (AEX Index): the AEX Index Futures Contract and the Light AEX Index Futures Contract. The Light AEX Index Futures Contract is a smaller version of the AEX Index Futures Contract.

The AEX Index is a broad-based, modified capitalization-weighted composite security index designed to be a benchmark index for the Dutch stock market. As of April 8, 2003, the total market capitalization of the AEX Index is U.S. $328.2 billion.

For information on foreign exchange-traded security index futures contracts pending no-action approval with the CFTC's OGC, see the Foreign Instrument Approvals & Exemptions Backgrounder at www.cftc.gov/opa/backgrounder/opapart30.htm.