KCBT Sets New Monthly Exchange Volume Records

A spate of wheat futures and options volume records in June led the Kansas City Board of Trade to shatter all previous total exchange volume records. Total volume at the exchange for the month of June was 335,203 contracts. The previous monthly record of 309,539 contracts was set in June 1999.

Wheat futures volume set a new monthly record of 307,023 contracts, breaking the previous monthly record of 286,177 contracts set last June. Wheat options volume, at 26,571 contracts, also broke the previous monthly record (18,612 contracts) set just last month.

A new single-day wheat volume record was set last Friday, June 30, as 26,455 contracts traded. The previous single-day record was set on November 29, 1999, at 24,424 contracts. The hard red winter wheat harvest has led to heavy volume for KCBT wheat futures. Also, there has been a wide discrepancy between industry and U.S. Department of Agriculture HRW crop production estimates, generating increased market activity.