CME Group Volume Averaged 14.7 Million Contracts Per Day In May 2013, Up 11 Percent From May 2012, Marking Highest Month Since August 2011

In May, CME Group interest rate volume averaged 7.8 million contracts per day, up 31 percent from May 2012, and the highest monthly average daily volume since August 2011.  Treasury futures volume averaged 4.2 million contracts per day, up 37 percent compared with the same period a year ago.  Treasury options volume averaged 686,000 contracts per day, up 83 percent from May 2012.  Monthly records were reached in futures and options on 30-year Treasury Bonds, 10-year Treasury Notes and 5-year Treasury Notes.  Eurodollar futures volume averaged 2.3 million contracts per day, up 26 percent from the same period a year ago, and included monthly records for some of the longer-dated contracts.   Eurodollar options volume averaged 563,000 contracts per day, down 13 percent from May last year, but up 77 percent sequentially. 

CME Group foreign exchange (FX) volume averaged 1.0 million contracts per day, up 9 percent from May 2012, with continued strength in Japanese Yen.  CME Group equity index volume in May 2013 averaged 2.8 million contracts per day, down 6 percent from the same period last year.  The Nikkei 225 Yen-based stock futures contract traded a record 60,000 contracts during the month. 

In May 2013, CME Group metals volume averaged a record 444,000 contracts per day, up 10 percent from May 2012.  CME Group energy volume averaged 1.7 million contracts per day in May 2013, down 6 percent compared with the prior May.  CME Group agricultural commodities volume in May 2013 averaged 958,000 contracts per day, down 18 percent compared with the prior-year period.

In May 2013, CME Group cleared $40 billion of notional value of OTC interest rate swaps, up 111 percent from $19 billion in April.  OTC IRS open interest increased 47 percent to $2.1 trillion, as 118 market participants cleared trades at CME Group in May.

Note that the KCBT hard red winter wheat average daily volume is included within the CME Group rollup as of April 1, 2013, but not historically prior to that date, following the acquisition which closed on November 30, 2012.