In addition, open interest in stock index products set a new record of 5,817,563 positions, including a record 3,294,682 positions in Select 50 TRAKRSSM, launched on Oct. 31. E-mini S&P MidCap 400™ futures also set a new record at 9,703 positions.
Open interest represents the number of futures and options on futures contracts outstanding at the close of trading each day. Open interest can be seen as a measure of the use of risk management instruments by institutions and individuals with a long-term stake in the markets, as well as the liquidity of a contract.
Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. is the largest futures exchange in the United States and the second largest exchange in the world for the trading of futures and options on futures. As an international marketplace, CME brings together buyers and sellers on its trading floors and GLOBEX around-the-clock electronic trading platform. CME offers futures contracts and options on futures primarily in four product areas: interest rates, stock indexes, foreign exchange and commodities. The exchange moves about $1.7 billion per day in settlement payments and manages $27.7 billion in collateral deposits. CME is a wholly owned subsidiary of Chicago Mercantile Exchange Holdings Inc.
E-mini is a service mark of Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. "TRAKRS" and "Total Return Asset Contracts" are service marks of Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc. TRAKRS are patent pending. S&P, S&P MidCap 400 and other trade names, service marks, trademarks and registered trademarks that are not proprietary to Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. are the property of their respective owners, and are used herein under license. Further information about CME and its products is available on the CME Web site at www.cme.com
