Osaka Securities Exchange Co., Ltd. (OSE) is pleased to announce that the open interest for Nikkei 225 Options was 5,003,154 units (preliminary estimates) on June 7, exceeding 5 million units for the first time since the launch date, June 12, 1989.
It is due to the increase of needs for hedge trading taken in consideration of market fluctuation, and change in financial circumstances such as the shift from OTC trading (off-exchange trading) to exchange trading in order to minimize the counterparty risk as a tendency after Lehman Shock.
Meanwhile, OSE has extended trading hours, and introduced long-term contracts for Nikkei 225 Options (*1) to cope with the change in financial circumstances and market participants' needs. Also from July 16, 2013, OSE plans to increase contract months for futures and options, and strike prices for options, on Nikkei 225(*2).
OSE aims to become Asia's No. 1 Exchange, and will continue to contribute to improve the derivatives market.
- (*1) Five year contracts (the longest) introduced in September 2008. Before the introduction, the longest contract was 15 months.
- (*2) News released on April 12, 2013: "Partial Amendment in Related Rules and Regulations with Expansion of Contract Months, etc. for Nikkei 225 Futures and Options"
