Mondo Visione Worldwide Financial Markets Intelligence

FTSE Mondo Visione Exchanges Index:

CME E-Mini™ S&P 500 And E-Mini Russell 2000 Futures Set Open Interest Records

Date 29/05/2002

For two consecutive sessions, open interest in E-mini™ S&P 500 futures traded on GLOBEX®, the electronic trading platform of Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. (CME), posted new records-beginning on May 24 with 251,555 positions and reaching 252,308 positions yesterday, May 28. The previous open interest record was set on Nov. 29, 2001, with 251,231 positions.

Also yesterday, open interest in E-mini Russell 2000® futures rose to a record 8,305 positions, surpassing its May 22 record of 8,177.

Open interest is the number of futures and options on futures contracts outstanding at the close of trading each day. Open interest can be seen as a measure of the use of risk management instruments by institutions and individuals with a long-term stake in the markets, as well as the liquidity of a contract.

Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. (www.cme.com) is the largest futures exchange in the United States and the second largest exchange in the world for the trading of futures and options on futures. As an international marketplace, CME brings together buyers and sellers on its trading floors and GLOBEX® around-the-clock electronic trading platform. CME offers futures contracts and options on futures primarily in four product areas: interest rates, stock indexes, foreign exchange and commodities. The exchange moves about $1.6 billion per day in settlement payments and manages $27.4 billion in collateral deposits. CME is a wholly owned subsidiary of Chicago Mercantile Exchange Holdings Inc.