IPE Brent Crude futures traded 1,988,883 contracts surpassing the previous record set in June 2001 of 1,606,017 by 23.8%. This represents some US$54.3 Billion in underlying value.
IPE Natural Gas futures also posted a record for the month of June, exceeding the previous best posted in 2000. In total, 65,010 IPE Natural Gas futures contracts were traded, surpassing the previous best by 38%. 26 June also saw a record daily number of IPE Natural Gas futures traded, 13,530 contracts changing hands.
For the first 6 months of the year, the IPE has traded some 16.9 Million contracts, an increase of 13.8 % over the corresponding period in 2002.
Richard Ward, Chief Executive of the IPE, added, "The strong performance that the IPE has shown so far in 2003 underlines the core role that the Exchange plays in energy markets, domestically and globally. This strong volume growth emphasises the importance of IPE contracts as global and regional benchmarks on a regulated exchange at a time of continued high uncertainty."
