CME Group Volume Averaged 12.3 Million Contracts Per Day In January 2011, Up 10 Percent

CME Group, the world's leading and most diverse derivatives marketplace, today announced January volume averaged 12.3 million contracts per day, up 10 percent from January 2010.  Total volume for January was 246 million contracts, of which a record 85 percent was traded electronically.

In January, CME Group interest rate volume averaged 5.3 million contracts per day, up 12 percent compared with the prior January.  Treasury futures volume averaged 2.2 million contracts per day, up 25 percent compared with the same period in 2010, and Treasury options volume averaged 273,000 contracts per day, down 10 percent.  Eurodollar futures volume averaged 2.1 million contracts per day, up 10 percent versus January 2010, and Eurodollar options volume averaged 656,000 contracts per day, down 4 percent.

CME Group equity index volume averaged 2.6 million contracts per day, down 11 percent from January 2010.  CME Group foreign exchange (FX) volume averaged 939,000 contracts per day, up 15 percent compared with the same period a year ago, reflecting average daily notional value of $126 billion.

CME Group energy volume averaged 2.0 million contracts per day, up 22 percent compared with January 2010.  Driving this strong growth in energy, Light Sweet Crude Oil (WTI) futures and options were up 57 percent and 21 percent for the month, respectively.  The futures contract reached a record volume of 1.5 million contracts on January 28, and the options contract set a record of 294,000 contracts on January 31, one trading day after the prior record.

CME Group agricultural commodities volume averaged 1.1 million contracts per day, up 37 percent compared with the prior January.  CME Group metals volume averaged 412,000 contracts per day, up 16 percent compared with the same period last year.

Electronic volume averaged 10.4 million contracts per day, up 13 percent from the prior January, while privately negotiated volume increased 2 percent, to 182,000 contracts per day. Average daily volume cleared through CME ClearPort was 457,000 contracts for January 2011, down 11 percent compared with January 2010.  Open outcry volume averaged 1.3 million contracts per day in January 2011, down 4 percent versus the prior January.

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.