Eurex Launches Options And Futures On Nemax 50 - Expanded Product Line For Neuer Markt - Small Contract Size For Retail Market

Eurex, the European derivatives market, is launching options and futures on the Neuer Markt blue-chip index, the Nemax 50, on June 19, 2000. With these new products on the benchmark index for the fastest-growing cash market in Europe, Eurex is taking the high performance of Deutsche Börse's high-tech segment into account.

Like all options at Eurex, the Nemax 50 options will also be supported by professional market-making. In addition, Eurex is offering Designated Market Making in the Nemax 50 future until the end of December; this is intended to boost liquidity.

The derivatives market is thus further expanding the selection of Neuer Markt derivatives beyond the existing equity options on Consors, EM TV, Intershop, Mobilcom and T-Online. The expansion of the index segment gives both institutional and private investors more diversified opportunities to make even more effective use of derivatives products on individual Neuer Markt stocks or on the segment as a whole.

In view of the high level of activity by private investors in the Neuer Markt, Eurex has deliberately kept the contract sizes of the options and futures on the Nemax 50 small, with 1 Euro per index point. This makes the new derivatives especially attractive for this group of investors, the exchange said.

Eurex is conducting a series of events for private investors in Germany and Switzerland through the end of this year to familiarize them with trading in futures and options as well as the introduction of these new products.