NYBOT'S Total Monthly Volume Breaks Five-Year Record - First Month In New Facility Sees Twenty-Seven Percent Rise Over September 2002 With Increases In Cotton, Coffee, Sugar, Currency And Index Markets

The New York Board of Trade® (NYBOT®) broke a five-year old record in September 2003 with the biggest total monthly volume in the 132-year history of its exchanges. In NYBOT's first month in the new Lower Manhattan facility, the September 2003 total trading volume of 2,576,173 futures and options eclipsed the previous record of 2,452,174 contracts established in June of 1998. The total NYBOT volume for the first nine months of 2003 stood at 18,056,114 contracts, a 14% increase over the same period last year.

Other records tumbled during September as several markets posted impressive gains. Cotton futures open interest reached an all time high on October 1, 2003, at 100.266 contracts, topping several days of new cotton open interest records beginning on September 29, 2003 at 97,260. The previous record of 95,556 contracts had been set on January 28, 1998.

The NYBOT's strong year-to-date performance is being led by a broad range of products including:

Futures volume increases were recorded in a number of markets:

Overall Ag futures experienced a 12% year-to-date increase (2003 = 12,199,046 vs. 2002 = 10,847,628)
Cotton futures (symbol CT) saw a 26% increase for the year-to-date over 2002 (2003 = 2,109,498 vs. 2002 = 1,673,581)
Coffee futures (symbol KC) had a 15% increase for the year-to-date (2003 = 2,367,324 vs. 2002 = 2,052,990)
Sugar #11 futures (Symbol SB) had a 12% increase year-to-date (2003= 5,587,956 vs. 2002 = 4,998,287)

NYBOT Volume Record

Overall currency futures experienced a 34% increase year-to-date (2003 = 1,309,656 vs. 2002 = 977,707)
US Dollar Index (symbol DX) saw a 39% increase (2003 = 396,609 vs. 2002 = 285,000)
Euro/Japanese Yen contract rose 16% year-to-date (2003 = 292,696 vs. 2002 = 252,079)

Options volume increases:

Overall Ag options rose 21% year-to-date (2003 = 3,899,837 vs. 2002 = 3,210,241)
Coffee options jumped 51% (995,028 = 2003 vs. 2002 = 659,210)
Cotton options rose 31% year-to-date (2003 = 1,149,782 vs. 2002 = 875,100)
Sugar #11 options rose 14% (2003 = 1,216,314 vs. 2002 = 1,069,374)
Russell 1000® options experienced a 3,303% increase year-to-date (2003 = 38,592 vs. 2002 = 1,134)

"These historical highs and the overall growth in futures and options trading demonstrate the increased importance of our markets to investors and hedgers in these difficult economic times," said Charles H. "Harry" Falk, President and CEO of NYBOT. "We're very pleased that volume in our contracts continues to expand in our new trading facility and we're looking forward to more growth and new opportunities for our market users."

The new volume and open interest records and increases were highlighted in the exchange's Monthly Volume Report, which is available on the NYBOT website at www.nybot.com. In addition, contract specifications and other information on NYBOT's products can be found on the web site.