There has been a strong increase in activity in cash trading in the first quarter of the year, when 42 million transactions were completed: up 15.5% on the same period of 2003. A daily average of 653,000 transactions were completed between January and March: an increase of 14% on the first quarter in 2003.
There have been five IPOs on Euronext so far this year: Iliad, Belgacom, Euromedis Groupe, Hammerson Plc. and Grupo Media Capital, with a total amount of 3.9 billion euros raised. Belgacom, the largest IPO in Europe for three years, will be included in the Euronext 100 index from today.
Shares
Share trading was the most active sector, with almost 40 million transactions completed in the year-to-date, up 17% year-on-year. There were an average 621,000 transactions a day in the first quarter, up 15% on the same period of last year.
Trackers
Transactions in trackers amounted to 35,000 during March, representing more than 1,500 per day. In the year-to-date there have been a total of 92,000 transactions in trackers.
Derivatives products
Euronext.liffe, the international derivatives business of Euronext traded its best ever first quarter, trading a total of 234 million contracts January to March 2004, up 30% on the same period in 2003.
Euronext.liffe had its busiest month ever, trading almost 91 million contracts in March 2004, an increase of 32% on March 2003. On average 3.9 million contracts per day were traded. Euronext.liffe also set a new record day with 5.4 million contracts traded on 25 March 2004.
The rise in volumes was seen across the whole product range. During the first quarter of 2004, individual equity products showed particularly strong performance, trading 98.4 million contracts, up 50% year-to-date. During the same period, short-term interest rate products traded over 86 million contracts, up 29% on 2003. Commodity products in March were up 30% on March 2003.
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