The Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE) announced today that March was the busiest month in CBOE history. Driven by record trading activity in index options, total exchange volume at CBOE for the month totaled more than 55 million contracts, an increase of 46% over March 2005. March's record tally surpassed the previous high of 53.9 million contracts traded during January 2006. The record 22,108,607 index options contracts traded topped the previous high of 21,942,688 contracts from October 2005. Also, on March 16, 2006, CBOE experienced the busiest single-day in its history as 5,642,589 contracts were traded, eclipsing the previous record of 5,269,497 contracts from January 20, 2006.
Exchange Volume, March 2006:
Total Volume
- 55,048,215 contracts
- 2,393,401 contracts, average daily volume
- +46% vs year-ago (March '05)
Year-To-Date Volume
- 154,291,347 contracts
- 2,488,570 contracts, average daily volume
- +48% vs year-ago
Open Interest
- 161,923,381 contracts
- +15% vs year-ago (March '05)
March highlights at CBOE included:
On Wednesday, March 29th, CBOE set a new single-day trading record in options on the CBOE Volatility Index, "VIX," when 31,481 contracts traded. For March, its first full month of trading, total volume was 181,613 contracts, with an average daily volume of 7,896. At the end of March, open interest already stood at an impressive 158,994 contracts.
The record volume of 22.1 million index options contracts was an increase of 54% over March 2005. S&P 500 Index (SPX), Standard & Poor's Depositary Receipts (SPY), and iShares Russell 2000 Index Fund (IWM) were the most-actively traded index options during the month. Additionally, the March volume of 3,905,681 contracts traded in SPY options was a new all-time record at CBOE.
Single-day trading records set during March included: total index options volume - 4,012,517 contracts, March 16; options on SPDRs (SPY) - 2,642,511 contracts, March 16; options on the Nasdaq-100 Index (NDX) - 179,627 contracts, March 17; and options on DIAMONDS (DIA) - 157,350 contracts, March 16.
March volume in stock option classes surged 41% over 2005 as 32.9 million contracts were traded. The top five most-actively traded equity options during the month were: Google Inc. (GOOG), Apple Computer, Inc. (AAPL), Elan Corporation (ELN), General Motors (GM) and Altria Group, Inc. (MO).
At CBOE Futures Exchange (CFE), 23,318 contracts traded during March, an increase of 34% over March 2005. At month's end, open interest reached a new all-time high of 27,603 contracts, which was up 25% from February 2006 and 145% from March 2005. Volume in futures on the CBOE Volatility Index, "VIX," totaled 21,367 contracts, rising 21% above February 2006, while open interest in VIX futures also reached a new all-time high, standing at 26,393 contracts at month's end.
INDIVIDUAL INDEX VOLUME FIGURES FOR MARCH 2006
|
Product |
Total
Volume |
%
change vs Mar 05 |
%
change vs Feb 06 |
Open
Interest |
%
change vs Mar 05 |
|
| SPX |
S&P 500 Index |
7,648,421 |
+32% |
+14% |
7,174,187 |
+18% |
| XSP |
Mini-S&P 500 Index |
115,026 |
----- |
(-4%) |
845,767 |
(-10%)vs
Feb 06
|
| SPY |
Standard & Poor's
Depositary Receipts (SPDRs) |
3,905,681new
record |
+342% |
+223% |
3,332,859 |
+70% |
| VIX |
CBOE Volatility
Index(options) |
181,613 |
----- |
----- |
158,994 |
----- |
| OEX |
S&P 100
Index(American-Style Exercise) |
1,306,531 |
(-25%) |
(-2%) |
347,434 |
(-25%) |
| XEO |
S&P 100 Index
(European-Style Exercise) |
215,546 |
+26% |
(-1%) |
122,920 |
+73% |
| DJX |
Dow Jones Industrial
Average |
545,255 |
(-19%) |
(-9%) |
629,311 |
+1%
|
| DIA |
DIAMONDS Trust, Series
1 |
896,766 |
+51% |
+24% |
1,175,210 |
+128% |
| NDX |
Nasdaq-100 Index |
586,353 |
+34% |
+36% |
677,172 |
+53% |
| MNX |
CBOE Mini-NDX
Index(based on Nasdaq-100) |
321,063 |
(-20%) |
(-26%) |
1,584,109 |
(-4%) |
| QQQ |
Nasdaq-100 Index
Tracking Stock |
2,207,119 |
+13% |
+2% |
5,624,506 |
(-20%) |
| RUT |
Russell 2000 Index |
181,208 |
+163% |
+1% |
340,959 |
+248% |
| IWM |
iShares Russell 2000
Index Fund |
2,408,251 |
+171% |
+37% |
4,012,582 |
+222% |
| SMH |
Semiconductor HOLDRs
Trust
|
223,254 |
+58% |
+26% |
842,794 |
(-3%) |
| OIH |
Oil Services HOLDRs
Trust |
286,113 |
+956% |
(-10%) |
520,432 |
+139% |
| XLE |
Energy Select SPDR |
426,721 |
+169% |
+12% |
931,673 |
+123% |
CBOE, the world's largest options marketplace and the creator of listed options, is regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). For additional information about the CBOE and its products, visit the CBOE website at: http://www.cboe.com/
