CME Nasdaq 100 Futures Volume, Open Interest Surge To New High

Trading volume in Nasdaq 100 Index® futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) surged to a record 15,137 contracts on March 4, as open interest rose to a new high of 17,233 positions. Since its launch on April 10, 1996, average daily volume in the Nasdaq 100 futures has grown from 2,059 contracts to 6,583 contracts year-to-date. The previous record was set on August 4, 1998, with 9,500 contracts traded. The Nasdaq 100 futures contract has an underlying value of USD100 times the index, currently valued at approximately $200,000. On February 18, the CME announced plans to trade an E-mini version of Nasdaq 100 futures, which will be sized at one-fifth the size of the standard contract or USD20 times the index. The contract will trade electronically around the clock on the exchange's GLOBEX®2 system and via open outcry pit trading. The Nasdaq 100 index is composed largely of technology stocks. The CME is the world's leading exchange for equity index futures, offering futures and options on S&P MidCap 400, Russell 2000, and Nikkei 225 and the S&P 500/BARRA Growth and Value Indexes, in addition to the S&P 500 and E- mini S&P 500.