NYSE Arca Options To Begin Trading Options On SPDR® Gold Trust

NYSE Euronext (NYX) and World Gold Trust Services LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the World Gold Council today announced that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC  ) and the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) approved the launch of options contracts on the SPDR® Gold Trust (NYSE Arca: GLD ).  Effective Tuesday, June 3, 2008, NYSE Arca Options will begin trading options on GLD.  This is the first U.S. option offering for a commodity-based exchange-traded product.

“It has been our privilege to work with the World Gold Council since listing SPDR Gold Trust in 2004 as a first-of-a-kind product that underscores our collective commitment to raising the profile of gold as an investment alternative,” said Lisa Dallmer, Senior Vice President, ETFs and Indexes, NYSE Arca. 

“We are delighted that options on the SPDR Gold Trust have been approved by the SEC and CFTC,” said James Burton, CEO of World Gold Council, sponsor of the SPDR® Gold Trust.  “At a time when interest in gold is at a high, this announcement comes as good news for investors and marks another important step in the success story of GLD.”

Ed Boyle, Senior Vice President, NYSE Arca Options added, “Participating in another first by trading options on GLD demonstrates NYSE Euronext's commitment to helping our issuers bring innovative products to the broadest market possible and fits well with our investor friendly price-time priority options market model."

Launched by World Gold Trust Services in November 2004, SPDR Gold Trust, the first U.S. commodity-based exchange traded security, has emerged as one of the fastest growing exchange traded products.  State Street Global Markets, LLC serves as marketing agent for GLD. As of May 29, 2008 , assets under management in the SPDR Gold Trust totaled approximately $16.96 billion (597.73 tonnes), making it the sixth largest US ETF by assets.