Records were also set on NYMEX ACCESS® electronic trading system for total activity; NYMEX Division volume; COMEX Division volume; energy futures volume; light, sweet crude oil futures volume; heating oil futures volume; natural gas futures volume; and gasoline futures volume.
Exchange-wide volume was up 30% during the first half of 2002 from the same period a year ago. The markets showing the strongest growth during the first half, compared to the same period of 2001, included: natural gas options, up 163%; natural gas futures, up 69%; light, sweet crude oil options, up 59%; silver options, up 58%; gold futures, up 16%; light, sweet crude oil futures, up 15%; and heating oil futures, up 10%.
Exchange-wide futures and options activity totaled 66,865,844 contracts for the first half of 2002, which surpassed the prior record for a half-year of 56,684,193 contracts traded during the second half of 1999.
Total Exchange futures volume reached 53,146,252 contracts during the first half of this year, which topped the previous record of 47,482,823 futures contracts traded during the second half of 1999.
Exchange-wide options volume reached 13,719,592 contracts, a major increase over the 9,634,914 contract-record set the second half of 2001.
The natural gas options volume of 6,006,859 contracts during the first six months of 2002 also set an annual volume record, exceeding the full-year record of 5,974,240 contracts set in 2001.
NYMEX Division futures volume set a record of 45,615,442 contracts for the first half of this year, surpassing the record of 39,406,370 contracts traded during the second half of 1999.
First-half NYMEX Division options volume of 12,415,620 contracts topped the previous record of 7,518,806 contracts during the first half of 2000.
Energy futures volume of 45,497,813 contracts broke the previous record of 39,100,493 contracts set during the second half of 1999.
Energy options trading totaled 12,415,394 contracts, surpassing the record of 7,513,011 contracts set during the first half of 2000.
Crude oil futures volume of 22,483,328 contracts broke the previous record of 19,721,159 contracts set during the second half of 1999.
Natural gas futures volume totaled 12,607,031 contracts, which topped the record of 10,325,945 contracts set during the second half of 1999.
Unleaded gasoline futures volume reached 5,321,380 contracts, breaking the previous record of 5,268,012 contracts traded during the first half of 2001.
Crude oil options trading reached 5,702,999 contracts, exceeding the record of 4,521,313 contracts traded the first half of 1998.
Exchange-wide trading on NYMEX ACCESS® for the first half reached 2,450,826 contracts, breaking the previous record of 1,475,371 contracts established during the second half of 2001.
Other electronic trading records included:
- Division trading on NYMEX ACCESS® reached 2,241,029 contracts, which topped the 1,390,936-contract record for the second half of 2001.
- Division trading on NYMEX ACCESS® totaled 209,797 contracts, surpassing the previous record of 183,565 contracts traded during the second half of 1999.
- Total energy futures traded on NYMEX ACCESS® during the first half reached 2,237,927 contracts, surpassing the previous record of 1,388,499 contracts.
- Gasoline futures volume on NYMEX ACCESS® reached 101,661 contracts, an annual volume record which surpassed the previous record of 99,321 contracts traded during the full year of 2001.
- Light sweet crude oil futures trading activity on NYMEX ACCESS® reached 1,440,174 contracts, breaking the previous record of 903,287 contracts traded during the second half of 2001.
- Heating oil futures volume on NYMEX ACCESS® reached 117,207 contracts, breaking the previous record of 100,675 contracts traded during the second half of 2001.
- Natural gas futures activity on NYMEX ACCESS® reached 578,395 contracts, breaking the previous record of 465,368 contracts set during the second half of 1999.
