Kansas City Board of Trade Year-To-Date Volume Ahead Of 2003 By 6.6 Percent

Kansas City Board of Trade year-to-date volume continues to post gains compared to year-to-date 2003 for the exchange as a whole and for the wheat futures contract in particular.

KCBT wheat futures volume was 15.7 percent ahead of year-to-date 2003 volume through the end of August. Total exchange volume was ahead of 2003 year-to-date volume by a total of 6.6 percent at the end of August.

Additionally, the KCBT wheat futures contract posted a 28 percent volume increase compared to July 2004, while the entire exchange showed a 24.3 percent increase compared to the same month.

Open interest grew during the month of August in the wheat futures contract. Open interest as of August 31, 2004 was 3.1 percent more than at the end of July.

The Kansas City Board of Trade, chartered in 1876, is the world's largest futures market for hard red winter wheat.