Exchange-Wide Daily Volume Records Set At NYMEX

An overall daily volume record was set on the New York Mercantile Exchange yesterday in addition to records for futures, options, metals futures, the COMEX Division overall, COMEX Division futures, COMEX Division options, gold futures and options, and electronic trading records on NYMEX ACCESS® for COMEX Division futures and gold futures. Exchange-wide volume reached 779,051 contracts, surpassing the previous record of 643,712 contracts set on August 25, 1999. Overall futures trading reached 639,122 contracts, exceeding the previous record of 553,078 contracts set on July 29, 1999, and options trading established a record of 139,929 contracts, topping the previous record of 122,590 contracts set on October 3, 1997. The total metals futures record of 282,150 contracts exceeded the previous record of 200,242 contracts set on March 31, 1995. COMEX Division volume reached 367,982 contracts, surpassing the previous record of 240,672 contracts traded on October 19, 1987, seven years prior to the 1994 NYMEX/COMEX merger. COMEX Division futures volume established a record of 273,691 contracts, topping the previous record of 205,023 contracts set on August 5, 1993, and COMEX Division options reached 94,291 contracts, exceeding the previous record of 51,017 contracts traded on March 7, 1995. Gold futures reached 187,427 contracts, surpassing the record of 140,726 contracts established on October 24, 1997, and gold options reached 81,317 contracts, exceeding the previous record of 39,944 contracts set on March 7, 1995. Total COMEX Division futures trading on the NYMEX ACCESS® electronic trading system set a record during the September 29, 1999, session when 9,562 contracts were traded, surpassing the record 7,975 contracts set during the September 27, 1999, session, and gold futures trading on the system also established a record last night, when 8,022 contracts were traded, exceeding the 6,785 contracts traded during the September 27, 1999, session. Exchange President R. Patrick Thompson said, "The role that the activity in our metals markets played in establishing a new Exchange-wide volume record is a perfect demonstration of the advantages of product diversification that will reinforce our position as the global leader in physical commodity markets as we enter the 21st century."