IntercontinentalExchange (NYSE:ICE), a leading operator of global regulated futures exchanges, clearing houses and over-the-counter (OTC) markets, announced today that ICE U.K. National Balancing Point (NBP) Natural Gas futures achieved a daily volume record of 118,145 contracts (equivalent to 3.65 billion therms) on March 3, 2014. The previous record of 70,690 contracts was set on January 13, 2014.
The record volume in ICE U.K. NBP Natural Gas futures follows recent geopolitical events in Ukraine, with market participants using ICE U.K. NBP Natural Gas futures to hedge their price risk.
The ICE U.K. NBP Natural Gas Futures contract is the leading on-exchange benchmark for European natural gas, with the contract seeing an increase in liquidity and open interest in recent years. Total trading volumes were over six million contracts in 2013. Year to date, average daily volume is 49,282 contracts and open interest currently stands at 290,075 contracts.
In addition to U.K. NBP futures and options, ICE also offers trading for Dutch TTF Natural Gas futures and options, German NetConnect Germany (NCG) futures and GASPOOL futures contracts via ICE Endex, a leading continental European energy exchange based in the Netherlands.