The growth of ISE has accelerated, as the broker-dealer community continues to experience the numerous benefits of participating in the efficient structure and competitive, liquid markets that ISE has introduced to the industry. ISE traded its 50-millionth contract within 16 months of its launch, its 100-millionth contract five months later and its 150-millionth contract within the next four months.
Thus far in July, daily volume has exceeded one mi llion contracts on three occasions, with the most recent being July 16 when 1,051,298 traded, a new volume record and the fourth such record in the past five trading days.
ISE is the industry volume leader in the 509 issues that it trades, with market share during July in these issues having grown to 28.0%, while its share in all listed equity options has risen to 25.1%. Further indication of the benefits that are being realized by investors and traders on the world's only exchange to combine auction market principles with electronic trading: ISE is now the primary market, as measured by volume, in 276 of its issues.
