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 1.902 million contracts for May 2008, a 38% increase from 1.376 million contracts per day in May 2007.
NYMEX electronic volume on the CME Globex® electronic trading platform averaged 938,020 contracts per day for May 2008, representing a 57% increase over 596,506 contracts per day in May 2007 electronic volume. NYMEX floor-traded energy futures and options averaged 224,919 contracts per day for May 2008.
COMEX electronic volume on CME Globex averaged 179,554 contracts per day for May 2008, and represented a 69% increase over 106,116 contracts per day in May 2007 electronic volume. COMEX floor-traded average daily volume was 39,684 contracts for May 2008.
Average daily volume on NYMEX ClearPort® was 416,656 contracts for May 2008, compared to 302,519 contracts for May 2007, representing a 38% increase. The remaining volume of 103,351 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 March through May 2008 was $1.55, while the average net rolling rate per contract, including direct transaction costs, for the same period was $1.31. May rates per contract and direct transaction costs are estimated (see Note below).
Final April Rate Per Contract - The following represents the final April 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 April 2008 was $1.52, while the net average rate per contract, including direct transaction costs, was $1.29. This is compared to a gross average rate per contract of $1.53, and a net average rate per contract of $1.25 for April 2007. Direct transaction costs were $8.855 million for April 2008 versus $7.909 million for April 2007.
Estimated May Rate Per Contract - The following May average rates per contract are estimated (see Note below). Gross average rate per contract across all venues in May 2008 was $1.57, while the net average rate per contract, including direct transaction costs, was $1.33. This is compared to gross average rate per contract of $1.61, and a net average rate per contract of $1.33 for May 2007. Direct transaction costs were an estimated $9.627 million for May 2008 versus $8.496 million for May 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 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 21 trading days for May 2008 and 22 days for May 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/.
MAY AVERAGE DAILY VOLUME Venue 2008 2007 NYMEX floor 224,919 242,233 NYMEX electronic 938,020 596,506 COMEX floor 39,684 45,579 COMEX electronic 179,554 106,116 NYMEX ClearPort® 416,656 302,519 Other 103,351 83,526 Total 1,902,184 1,376,479 THREE MONTH ROLLING AVERAGE DAILY VOLUME (For the period March through May) Venue 2008 2007 NYMEX floor 226,899 260,506 NYMEX electronic 874,496 585,805 COMEX floor 41,680 46,392 COMEX electronic 190,484 100,701 NYMEX ClearPort® 451,236 314,489 Other 92,924 75,392 Total 1,877,720 1,383,285 APRIL 2008 AVERAGE RATES PER CONTRACT Venue Net RPC NYMEX floor $1.59 NYMEX electronic $1.00 COMEX floor $1.72 COMEX electronic $1.36 NYMEX ClearPort® $1.47 Other $1.88 Total Average Net Rate $1.29 Direct Transaction Cost $0.23 Total Average Gross Rate $1.52 THREE MONTH ROLLING AVERAGE RATES PER CONTRACT (For the period February through April 2008) Venue Net RPC NYMEX floor $1.58 NYMEX electronic $1.03 COMEX floor $1.71 COMEX electronic $1.38 NYMEX ClearPort® $1.50 Other $1.94 Total Average Net Rate $1.32 Direct Transaction Cost $0.24 Total Average Gross Rate $1.56 MAY 2008 ESTIMATED AVERAGE RATES PER CONTRACT Venue Net RPC NYMEX floor $1.62 NYMEX electronic $1.05 COMEX floor $1.69 COMEX electronic $1.46 NYMEX ClearPort® $1.59 Other $1.87 Total Average Net Rate $1.33 Direct Transaction Cost $0.24 Total Average Gross Rate $1.57 THREE MONTH ROLLING ESTIMATED AVERAGE RATES PER CONTRACT (For the period March through May 2008) Venue Net RPC NYMEX floor $1.59 NYMEX electronic $1.03 COMEX floor $1.70 COMEX electronic $1.41 NYMEX ClearPort® $1.54 Other $1.88 Total Average Net Rate $1.31 Direct Transaction Cost $0.24 Total Average Gross Rate $1.55
