KCBT Wheat Futures Tops Annual Trading Volume Charts, Setting New Record

For the seventh year in a row the Kansas City Board of Trade has set a new annual trading volume record in the hard red winter wheat futures contract. At the conclusion of yesterday's trade 2,329,020 contracts or 11.645 billion bushels had traded thus far in 2000. The previous record was set just last year, at 2,321,059 contracts or 11.605 billion bushels. Approximately three weeks remain to add to the record for this year.

This is the third annual volume record the KCBT has set this year. Only three days ago a new all-exchange record was attained. Year-to-date volume is now 2,555,245 contracts compared to the 1999 record of 2,524,376 contracts.

KCBT wheat options trading set a new annual volume record in September. To date, 208,753 contracts have traded, an increase of 64,779 contracts or 45 percent from last year. This is the fourth year in a row that wheat options have set an annual record.

"This is an monumental time for the Kansas City Board of Trade. Setting three major annual volume records in one year brings forth excitement for what we can achieve in the years to come," said KCBT President Robert Petersen.