The International Securities Exchange (NYSE:ISE) today reported that average daily trading volume for equity and index options contracts for April 2007 increased 14.7% to 2.7 million contracts as compared to 2.4 million contracts during the same period in 2006. Total equity and index options volume for the month increased 20.8% to 54.6 million contracts from 45.2 million contracts in the same year-ago period.
On a year-to-date basis, average daily trading volume of equity and index options increased 15.9% to 2.8 million contracts traded as compared to 2.4 million contracts traded in the prior year. Total year-to-date equity and index volume through April 2007 increased 15.9% to 223.8 million contracts from 193.0 million contracts in the same period last year.
Equity and Index Options Volume Statistics
Current Month Year-to-Date (000s) Apr-07 Apr-06 % Change Apr-07 Apr-06 % Change ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ISE Average Daily Volume 2,729.7 2,379.5 14.7% 2,762.8 2,383.0 15.9% ISE Total Volume 54,593.9 45,210.7 20.8% 223,788.3 193,025.8 15.9% Industry Average Daily Volume 9,844.2 7,991.7 23.2% 9,954.4 7,866.5 26.5% Market Share 27.7% 29.8% (2.1) pts 27.8% 30.3% (2.5) pts ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Market Share: Customer 29.2% 30.7% (1.5) pts 29.3% 31.8% (2.5) pts Market Share: Firm 25.7% 26.2% (0.5) pts 24.0% 25.2% (1.2) pts Market Share: Market Maker 27.1% 30.0% (2.9) pts 27.7% 30.5% (2.8) pts ----------------------------------------------------------------------
Equity Options Volume Statistics
Current Month Year-to-Date (000s) Apr-07 Apr-06 % Change Apr-07 Apr-06 % Change ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ISE Average Daily Volume 2,692.1 2,354.2 14.3% 2,719.4 2,355.9 15.4% ISE Total Volume 53,841.7 44,730.7 20.4% 220,268.4 190,826.0 15.4% Industry Average Daily Volume 8,902.1 7,351.7 21.1% 9,001.0 7,236.9 24.4% Market Share 30.2% 32.0% (1.8) pts 30.2% 32.6% (2.4) pts ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Market Share: Customer 31.8% 32.7% (0.9) pts 31.9% 33.9% (2.0) pts Market Share: Firm 28.2% 28.8% (0.6) pts 26.4% 27.9% (1.5) pts Market Share: Market Maker 29.5% 32.4% (2.9) pts 30.0% 32.7% (2.7) pts ----------------------------------------------------------------------
Index Options Volume Statistics
Current Month Year-to-Date (000s) Apr-07 Apr-06 % Change Apr-07 Apr-06 % Change ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ISE Average Daily Volume 37.6 25.3 48.9% 43.5 27.2 60.0% ISE Total Volume 752.3 480.0 56.7% 3,519.9 2,199.8 60.0% Industry Average Daily Volume 941.4 639.5 47.2% 952.8 629.1 51.5% Market Share 4.0% 4.0% 0 pts 4.6% 4.3% 0.3 pts ----------------------------------------------------------------------
Dividend Trade Activity
Our market share statistics continue to be negatively impacted by trading activity related to dividend trades among certain options market makers. These trades temporarily inflate and distort trading volume and market share when transacted. If the volume from the largest dividend trades were excluded from the data, our market share of equity options for the month of April would increase to 30.7% from 30.2%, an increase of 0.5 market share points.
On a year-to-date basis, our market share would increase to 31.3% from 30.2%, an increase of 1.1 market share points, if the volume from the largest dividend trades were excluded. The exclusion of dividend trades from total industry volume data presents a more relevant measure of the relative trends in our business.
Monthly Highlights -- ISE was the largest U.S. equity options exchange in April. -- On April 2, 2007, ISE announced that David Krell, its President and Chief Executive Officer, will retire on January 1, 2008. Upon his retirement, Mr. Krell will remain on ISE's Board of Directors, pending required approvals. Gary Katz, ISE's Chief Operating Officer, will succeed Mr. Krell as President and Chief Executive Officer. -- On April 17, 2007, ISE successfully launched trading in ISE FX Options(TM) in four currency pairs: U.S. Dollar/Euro (Symbol: EUI), U.S. Dollar/British Pound (Symbol: BPX), U.S. Dollar/Japanese Yen (Symbol: YUK), and U.S. Dollar/Canadian Dollar (Symbol: CDD). -- On April 30, 2007, Eurex and ISE announced that they have signed a definitive agreement under which Eurex will acquire ISE for approximately $2.8 billion in cash, or $67.50 per share. Pending receipt of regulatory approval by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and other customary closing conditions, the transaction will create the largest transatlantic derivatives marketplace. -- ISE traded more volume than any other options exchange in 898 of 1,717 issues in its listings.