.jpg)
NYMEX Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: NMX), the parent company of the New York Mercantile Exchange, Inc., the world's largest physical commodities futures and options exchange, today announced that average daily volume was a record 2.034 million contracts for March 2008, a 48% increase from 1.377 million contracts per day in March 2007.
NYMEX electronic volume on the CME Globex® electronic trading platform averaged a record 919,920 contracts per day for March 2008, representing a 62% increase over 567,372 contracts per day in March 2007 electronic volume. NYMEX floor-traded energy futures and options averaged 233,856 contracts per day for March 2008.
COMEX electronic volume on CME Globex averaged a record 225,320 contracts per day for March 2008, and represented a 125% increase over 100,163 contracts per day in March 2007 electronic volume. COMEX floor-traded average daily volume was 46,682 contracts for March 2008.
Average daily volume on NYMEX ClearPort® was 481,897 contracts for March 2008, compared to 322,432 contracts for March 2007, representing a 49% increase. The remaining volume of 126,560 trades per day consisted of other transactions which include position transfers and exchanges.
Rolling Average Rate Per Contract -- The three month rolling average gross rate per contract for the period January through March 2008 was $1.56, while the average net rolling rate per contract, including direct transaction costs, for the same period was $1.31. March rates per contract and direct transaction costs are estimated (see Note below).
Final February Rate Per Contract -- The following represents the final February 2008 rates per contract after adjustments to the estimated rate per contract we provided last month. Gross average rate per contract across all venues in February 2008 was $1.58, while the net average rate per contract, including direct transaction costs, was $1.32. This is compared to a gross average rate per contract of $1.51, and a net average rate per contract of $1.24 for February 2007. Direct transaction costs were $9.553 million for February 2008 versus $7.982 million for February 2007.
Estimated March Rate Per Contract -- The following March average rates per contract are estimated (see Note below). Gross average rate per contract across all venues in March 2008 was $1.55, while the net average rate per contract, including direct transaction costs, was $1.30. This is compared to gross average rate per contract of $1.47, and a net average rate per contract of $1.22 for March 2007. Direct transaction costs were an estimated $9.992 million for March 2008 versus $7.561 million for March 2007.
Note: Because we are providing an additional level of up-to-date information regarding our recent monthly rates per contract, our volumes and rates press releases will be issued within approximately eight to ten business days after the end of the month. Also, the estimated figures are preliminary and may change due to the fact that the last days of the month have not been finalized and are thus subject to adjustments and corrections. Average daily volume is based on 20 trading days for March 2008 and 22 days for March 2007, and 61 days for the first quarters of both 2008 and 2007.
About NYMEX Holdings, Inc.
NYMEX Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: NMX) is the parent company of the New York Mercantile Exchange, Inc., the world's largest physical commodities exchange, offering futures and options trading in energy and metals contracts and clearing services for more than 350 off-exchange energy contracts. Through a hybrid model of open outcry floor trading and electronic trading on CME Globex® and NYMEX ClearPort®, NYMEX offers crude oil, petroleum products, natural gas, coal, electricity, gold, silver, copper, aluminum, platinum group metals, emissions, and soft commodities contracts for trading and clearing virtually 24 hours each day. Further information about NYMEX Holdings, Inc. and the New York Mercantile Exchange, Inc. is available on the NYMEX website at http://www.nymex.com/.
MARCH AVERAGE DAILY VOLUME Venue 2008 2007 NYMEX floor 233,856 267,107 NYMEX electronic 919,920 567,372 COMEX floor 46,682 51,603 COMEX electronic 225,320 100,163 NYMEX ClearPort® 481,897 322,432 Other 126,560 68,001 Total 2,034,235 1,376,678 THREE MONTH ROLLING AVERAGE DAILY VOLUME (For the period January through March) Venue 2008 2007 NYMEX floor 236,894 329,524 NYMEX electronic 814,306 596,641 COMEX floor 47,828 55,808 COMEX electronic 204,899 90,438 NYMEX ClearPort® 462,544 373,357 Other 104,563 67,624 Total 1,871,034 1,513,392 FEBRUARY 2008 AVERAGE RATES PER CONTRACT Venue Net RPC NYMEX floor $1.58 NYMEX electronic $1.04 COMEX floor $1.71 COMEX electronic $1.38 NYMEX ClearPort® $1.47 Other $2.04 Total Average Net Rate $1.32 Direct Transaction Cost $0.26 Total Average Gross Rate $1.58 THREE MONTH ROLLING AVERAGE RATES PER CONTRACT (For the period December 2007 through February 2008) Venue Net RPC NYMEX floor $1.56 NYMEX electronic $1.01 COMEX floor $1.57 COMEX electronic $1.28 NYMEX ClearPort® $1.45 Other $1.87 Total Average Net Rate $1.28 Direct Transaction Cost $0.26 Total Average Gross Rate $1.54 MARCH 2008 ESTIMATED AVERAGE RATES PER CONTRACT Venue Net RPC NYMEX floor $1.58 NYMEX electronic $1.04 COMEX floor $1.68 COMEX electronic $1.40 NYMEX ClearPort® $1.48 Other $1.71 Total Average Net Rate $1.30 Direct Transaction Cost $0.25 Total Average Gross Rate $1.55 THREE MONTH ROLLING ESTIMATED AVERAGE RATES PER CONTRACT (For the period January through March 2008) Venue Net RPC NYMEX floor $1.59 NYMEX electronic $1.05 COMEX floor $1.64 COMEX electronic $1.36 NYMEX ClearPort® $1.46 Other $1.84 Total Average Net Rate $1.31 Direct Transaction Cost $0.25 Total Average Gross Rate $1.56
SOURCE: NYMEX Holdings, Inc.
