KCBT January Volume And Open Interest - KCBT Trading Volume Best On Record For January

The Kansas City Board of Trade started off 2004 with several new volume records, giving the KCBT its best start in exchange history. Exchange volume traded in January set a new record for the calendar month of January. A total of 250,075 contracts were traded, breaking the previous record of 230,553 set in January 1996 by 8.5 percent. An increase of 14.1 percent was seen when compared to January of last year, while a 22.8 percent increase was seen when compared to last month.

Wheat futures trading volume paved the way for the new record as that contract also set a new trading volume record for the month of January. A total of 222,465 contracts were traded, breaking the previous record of 193,396 contracts, also set in 1996, by 15 percent. A gain of 21.9 percent was seen compared to last January and a gain of 19.6 percent was seen compared to last month. Wheat futures open interest swelled in the last month, standing at 64,101 at month's end, an increase of 12.4 percent compared to last January and an increase of 10.7 compared to December.

Wheat options trading volume posted a 58.6 percent increase during the month of January compared to last month; open interest swelled 29.3 percent compared to the end of December.

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