CME Group Volume Averaged 11.6 Million Contracts Per Day in January 2012, Up 21 Percent from December 2011 - Open Interest Reached 87 Million Contracts, Up 11 Percent From Year-End 2011 - Average Daily Volume Cleared Through CME ClearPort Increased 27 Percent, And Privately Negotiated Average Daily Volume Rose 14 Percent

CME Group, the world's leading and most diverse derivatives marketplace, today announced that January 2012 volume averaged 11.6 million contracts per day, down 5 percent from January 2010, but up 21 percent from December 2011.  Total volume for January was 232 million contracts, of which 82 percent was traded electronically.

Open interest at the end of January 2012 reached 87.1 million contracts, up 11 percent from the end of 2011.  Open interest growth was 11 percent in the month of January 2012 versus 7 percent in the month of January 2011.  January 2012 open interest growth was especially strong in interest rates at 17 percent, foreign exchange (FX) at 14 percent and agricultural commodities at 13 percent.

In January 2012, CME Group interest rate volume averaged 5.2 million contracts per day, down 2 percent from January 2011, but up 47 percent sequentially.  Treasury futures volume averaged 1.9 million contracts per day, down 12 percent compared with same period a year ago, but up 33 percent sequentially.  Treasury options volume averaged 309,000 contracts per day, up 13 percent from January 2011, and up 42 percent sequentially.  Eurodollar futures volume averaged 2.1 million contracts per day, down 1 percent from January 2011.  Eurodollar options volume averaged 850,000 contracts per day, up 30 percent from the prior January.

CME Group equity index volume averaged 2.2 million contracts per day, down 13 percent from January 2011.  CME Group foreign exchange (FX) volume averaged 744,000 contracts per day, down 21 percent from January last year, but up 3 percent sequentially and reflecting average daily notional value of $96 billion.

CME Group energy volume averaged 2.0 million contracts per day, up 1 percent compared with January 2011, and up 43 percent sequentially.  CME Group agricultural commodities volume averaged 1.1 million contracts per day, flat compared with the prior year period, and up 29 percent compared with December 2011.  CME Group metals volume averaged 365,000 contracts per day, down 11 percent compared with the same period last year, but up 36 percent sequentially.

Electronic volume averaged 9.5 million contracts per day in January 2012, down 9 percent from January 2011, but up 17 percent sequentially.  Privately negotiated volume increased 14 percent to 208,000 contracts per day, from the prior January.   Average daily volume cleared through CME ClearPort was 582,000 contracts in January 2012, up 27 percent compared with January 2011, and up 48 percent compared with December 2011.  Open outcry volume averaged 1.3 million contracts per day, up 6 percent versus the prior year period, and up 50 percent sequentially.

Average daily volume and rate per contract figures from 2008 have been revised due to standardizing NYMEX reporting conventions to follow CME's treatment of post-trade transactions such as exercises, assignments and deliveries.

SOURCE CME Group