CME Group Volume Averaged 15.0 Million Contracts Per Day In First-Quarter 2015, Up 10 Percent Versus First-Quarter 2014, Representing Second-Highest Quarterly Volume Ever

CME Group, the world's leading and most diverse derivatives marketplace, today announced that March 2015 volume averaged 13.7 million contracts per day, down 3 percent from March 2014. Total volume for March 2015 was 302 million contracts, of which 88 percent was traded electronically. Options volume in March averaged 2.6 million contracts per day, up 2 percent versus March 2014, with electronic options growing 12 percent over the same period.

CME Group interest rate volume averaged 6.5 million contracts per day in March 2015, down 8 percent compared with March 2014. Eurodollar futures volume averaged 2.6 million contracts per day, down 6 percent from the same period a year ago. Eurodollar options volume averaged 959,000 contracts per day, up 5 percent from March last year. Treasury futures volume averaged 2.4 million contracts per day, down 13 percent compared withMarch 2014. Treasury options volume averaged 481,000 contracts per day, down 20 percent from the same period last year.  

CME Group foreign exchange (FX) volume averaged 1.1 million contracts per day, up 27 percent from March 2014.  The average daily notional value of FX contracts traded in March was $112 billion. CME Group equity index volume in March 2015 averaged 2.8 million contracts per day, down 12 percent from the same period a year ago.   

CME Group agricultural commodities volume averaged 1.1 million contracts per day in March 2015, down 1 percent compared with the prior-year period. CME Group energy volume averaged 1.9 million contracts per day, up 28 percent from March 2014. CME Group metals volume averaged 365,000 contracts per day, down 4 percent compared with the prior March.

In March 2015, CME Group cleared $161 billion in average daily notional value of over-the-counter (OTC) interest rate swaps.  Month-end OTC interest rate swap open interest was $24.5 trillion, which represents 66 percent of clients' total cleared OTC interest rate swap open interest. Average daily trade count for the month was 2,391.

First-quarter 2015 volume averaged 15.0 million contracts per day, up 10 percent from first-quarter 2014, and represented the second highest quarterly volume ever. Record energy volume grew 26 percent compared with first-quarter 2014, and FX average daily volume grew 17 percent. Other quarterly highlights include record overall options average daily volume of 2.8 million contracts, record FX options average daily volume of 96,000 contracts, and record average daily volumes for WTI Crude oil, Brent Crude Oil, Heating Oil and Gasoline. 

Guidance

CME Group receives dividends from BM&F BOVESPA (BVMF) associated with the company's 5 percent ownership stake. BVMF declared a regular cash dividend on March 5, 2015, with a second-quarter ex-dividend date. As a result, similar to prior years, CME Group will not receive a BVMF dividend in first-quarter 2015 and will record two dividends in the second quarter.  Based on current exchange rates, the first of these dividends will total approximately $3.6 million, while details related to the second dividend have yet to be announced.