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The new January exchange volume record of 372,393 contracts breaks the previous record of 250,075 contracts that was set in 2004 by 48.9 percent, with all contracts contributing to the increase.
Hard red winter wheat futures volume in January amounted to 337,641 contracts, breaking the previous January record of 222,465 contracts set in 2004 by 51.8 percent. Also, open interest in the contract set a new all-time record of 144,139 contracts on January 27. Prior to this month, the previous record was 134,039 set on November 8, 2005.
Hard red winter wheat options volume increased markedly, with volume traded in January 53.5 percent more than was traded in December and more than four times that of last January. Open interest has also swelled, increasing 89.2 percent compared to the end of January 2005 and 38.3 percent compared to last month.
Value Line® futures trading volume continues to grow, with volume traded in January 13 times that of January 2005. Open interest is also increasing, six times that of a year ago and slightly higher than the level seen at the end of last month.
The Kansas City Board of Trade, chartered in 1876, is the world's largest futures market for hard red winter wheat.
(in contracts)
Value Line® is a registered mark of Value Line® Inc., a New York corporation that provides financial services and publications. Since 1982, the Kansas City Board of Trade has been licensed to use the Value Line® mark in connection with its efforts to establish futures markets tied to the Value Line® index. The Kansas City Board of Trade and Value Line, Inc. are not affiliated corporate entities.
