New Record: Eurex Turns Over 83.6 Million Contracts In September

September was the most successful month in Eurex history to date: With 83.6 million contracts traded, the international derivatives market set a new record in contract volume, beating its previous record of 77 million contracts traded in July 2002. Compared with the same month of last year (68.5 million contracts), turnover at Eurex increased 22 percent. With three quarters now behind it in 2002, the derivatives market has thus already turned over 597 million contracts. With volume of 22.9 million contracts traded during the week from 16 September to 20 September alone, Eurex posted its highest weekly turnover to date, corresponding to an average daily volume of 4.6 million contracts traded.

Eurex saw record trading volumes in individual products and product groups in September: A total of 25.2 million index contracts were traded at Eurex (previous record, July 2002, with 24.5 million contracts). This corresponds to a 33 percent increase compared with September 2001. A new record was set in the Euro-Bund future with 19.9 million contracts traded (November 2001: 18.8 million contracts), which is 29 percent more than in September 2001, also making it the highest-volume contract at Eurex. The second-most heavily traded contract at Eurex was the Euro STOXX 50 future with 12.4 million contracts traded (up 76 percent from September 2001), setting a new record in turnover for this product (previous record: July 2002 with 10.5 million contracts traded). Volume in the Euro-Bobl future, the third-strongest contract at Eurex for the month, was about 34 percent higher than the previous year's figure, with 12.2 million contracts traded, also a new record result (previous record, November 2001 with 12 million contracts).

Capital market products were again the highest-volume segment at Eurex in September, and the world's most successful exchange-traded derivatives family, with 45.5 million contracts traded, the second-highest volume in this segment to date (after 48 million contracts in November 2001) and 18 percent higher than the number traded in September 2001. A total of 337 million capital-market contracts have been traded during the first three quarters of 2002 (13 percent growth compared with the same period of last year).

Equity-based derivatives showed turnover of some 38 million contracts in September, comprising 25.2 million contracts in equity index derivatives and 12.8 million in equity options. The strongest equity option at Eurex in September was the option on Nokia with 1.9 million contracts traded, a 25 percent increase compared with September 2001. The option on SAP, with 1.2 million contracts traded, achieved its best result for any month to date and topped its September 2001 figure sevenfold. The option on Allianz ranked third in volume, with 1.1 million contracts traded (430 percent increase over Sept. 2001). Altogether, 260 million equity-based derivatives contracts were traded at Eurex during the first three quarters of 2002, 152 million