JSE trading statistics for April show that the number of trades on the JSE equities market for 2010 is up 18.17% year-on-year (2010: 7,625,903; 2009: 6,453,175).
The number of trades recorded in April 2010 is 1,924,167 valued at more R219.2 billion (April 2009: R279.6 billion). “Trading activity for 2010 climbed during the month, aided by increasing global uncertainty and therefore volatility,” says Leanne Parsons, Head of Equities Trading at the JSE.
In the JSE’s interest rate market, the number of bonds traded for April is 13,502 (April 2009: 12,686) – up 6.4% month-on-month. Year-on-year trade in bonds is down 16.2%.
The number of interest rate derivative contracts traded on the exchange during the three months to end-April 2010 grew sharply year-on-year to 297,207, off a low base. Total value traded in this asset class amounted to over R9.34 billion (April 2009: R754.5 million). “What is encouraging is that growth in value traded increased by 184% for the same three month period year-on-year,” says Graham Smale, Director: Interest Rate Products at the JSE. “We will continue to focus on growing a successful exchange-traded interest rate derivatives market.”
The number of equity derivatives futures contracts traded climbed 8.7% during the first four months of 2010 (2010: 44,557,000; 2009: 41,011,000). The number of futures contracts traded in April alone is 8,771,000. “This positive growth shows a renewed appetite for futures contracts, albeit not at pre-Global Financial Crisis levels,” comments Allan Thomson, Head of Derivatives Trading at the JSE.
The number of futures contracts traded on the JSE’s commodity derivatives market increased by 14.2% in the first four months of 2010, compared with the same period in 2009 (2010: 530,000; 2009: 464,000). Volumes traded in commodity options have grown 30% off a low base year-on-year.
Trade in the CBOT Corn futures, listed in collaboration with the CME Group continues to grow. Since the contract’s listing on the JSE in January 2009 more than 23,500 futures have been traded on the exchange. “Market response to these American corn futures bodes well for further collaboration with the CME Group,” comments Rod Gravelet-Blondin, Senior General Manager: Commodities at the JSE.