October Another Month Of Volume, Open Interest Records At The KCBT

The Kansas City Board of Trade exchange volume traded during the month of October was the largest ever for any given October. Volatile market conditions continued to spur activity in the wheat futures and wheat options contracts, leading to a spate of new records. Total volume for the exchange in October amounted to 328,038 contracts, an increase of 31 percent from the previous October monthly record of 250,300 contracts, which was set in 2000.

Wheat futures trading volume of 256,340 contracts was the largest for any given October, breaking the previous October record of 220,525 contracts set in 2000 by 16 percent. Wheat options volume traded during the month of October was 70,224 contracts, also setting a new record for the month of October, breaking the previous October volume record of 28,294 contracts by 148 percent. Volume traded in October was second only to last month's volume.

Open interest for wheat options is also at an all-time record high of 86,118 contracts. Year-to-date exchange volume is up by 24.5 percent when compared to January through October 2001. Wheat futures volume is up 15.1 percent when compared to the same timeframe and wheat options volume is up 116.9 percent.

Exchange volume has already set a new annual volume record as have wheat options, which are nearing the 100-percent increase point when compared to last year's total of 243,311 contracts. Wheat futures are a mere 108,397 contracts shy of setting a new annual record.