CME's E-mini Equity Index Contracts Set New Volume Records

Trading volume in the CME's E-mini S&P 500 Stock Price Index and E-mini Nasdaq 100 Index futures contracts both rose to record levels yesterday, March 7. The new record for E-mini S&P 500 futures totaled 86,423, surpassing the 82,817 mark set on Feb. 28. For E-mini Nasdaq 100 futures, the new volume record now stands at 28,433 and bests the previous record of 28,265 on Feb. 24. Also among equity index products yesterday, S&P/BARRA Growth Index futures set a new open interest record at 2,444 positions. Average daily volume in E-mini S&P 500 futures, year-to-date, is 67,329 contracts, compared to 43,295 in all of 1999. For E-mini Nasdaq 100 futures, average daily volume for the same period stands at 17,738 compared with 5,015 in 1999. Traded electronically on the CME's GLOBEX®2 electronic trading system, both contracts are smaller-sized versions of contracts traded actively via open outcry on the exchange's trading floor. The CME recently doubled the size of its Nasdaq 100 pit to accommodate demand from traders to participate in the contracts. The exchange also has built electronic "pits" adjacent to the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 pits allowing floor traders and brokers convenient participation in the E-mini versions of the equity index products.