Eurex Launches Five New Options On German Mid Caps - Eurex's Offering Of Equity Derivatives In The Mid Cap Segment Well Received By The Market - MDAX Futures Now Admitted In The USA

Eurex, the international derivatives exchange, is further expanding its range of equity-based derivatives on mid cap stocks. On 2 May 2006, Eurex is launching five new options on the MDAX® companies Fresenius (preferred shares), Hochtief, Lanxess and Salzgitter, and on TecDAX®-listed Solarworld. At present, Eurex offers trading with 15 options on German mid caps.

Eurex offers a wide range of mid-cap derivatives. In March 2005, the derivatives exchange launched a future based on the MDAX index. The MDAX Future has been well received by the market, with average monthly trading volume of approximately 13,000 contracts in 2006. Since the U.S. regulator, Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) issued the necessary approval at the end of March, US participants on Eurex have been able to trade the MDAX future directly from the U.S. This gives them greater access to the number one market for European equity index derivatives in terms of both volume and liquidity.

In September 2005, the SMIM Future was listed as the equivalent of the MDAX Future for the Swiss market, as well as a European mid-cap index, the Dow Jones STOXX Mid® 200. In January 2006, equity options were also included on four more stocks listed on the SMIM; 85,000 contracts had already been traded in these options by mid-April.