Parisbourse SBF SA Derivatives Trading Up 15% - Open Interest In Euro Notional Contracts Continues Steady Rise

Nearly 22 million contracts (21,976,595) changed hands on derivative markets operated by ParisBourse SBF SA in February, 15.5% more than in January. Open interest in the Euro Notional future showed a further rise to reach 158,418 lots on February 29 compared with 76,289 at the end of January. The number of trades was 42% higher than in the previous month, reaching a peak of 300,000 contracts on February 3, while the daily average was approximately 200,000 lots. The liquidity index calculated by ParisBourse SBF SA shows that the contract continues to benefit from instantaneous liquidity. The average quantity at the first limit was the same as in the previous month, with 150 lots at one tick, while the average at the five best limits was 1,110 lots. Trading in equity and index derivatives rose 10.6% from January. The CAC 40 option alone showed a rise of nearly 25% in the month, with trading reaching a new daily record of 988,514 lots on February 22. Open interest in short-term equity options rose nearly 22%. Turning to commodities, a total of 9,207 lots representing the equivalent of 460,350 tons changed hands. Trading in the milling wheat future was steady at 4,324 lots while open interest rose 16.2%, reflecting the continued commitment of participants. Trading in the rapeseed future totaled 2,886 lots, with participants adopting a wait-and-see attitude against a backdrop of what professionals consider very low prices.