Hugh Freedberg, Chief Executive of Euronext.liffe said: “We are making our market more attractive both to our existing customers and to users of the over-the-counter equity options markets which account for 70% of all equity options trading. These improvements give us the opportunity to increase our share of the equity derivatives market and to drive increased volumes.”
Thierry Philipponnat, Director of Equity Derivatives, Euronext.liffe said: “Now we have almost completed the integration of our markets onto a single electronic platform, LIFFE CONNECT®, we can pass on equity derivative cost savings to our customers.
These fee reductions, together with the package of other measures we are introducing, make our equity options simpler and cheaper to trade. We have already largely standardised contract specifications and will soon be introducing a single approach to corporate events. Early next year we will be bringing in a single rule book and harmonising trading procedures.”
Euronext.liffe is also reducing the fee for block trades in Dutch equity options by changing from a fixed fee per order to a capped fee per order.
Euronext.liffe equity derivatives products have shown strong growth this year, up 24% on last year (January to end August 2004), with individual equity products up 42% in the year-to-date.
