Philadelphia Stock Exchange Announces Significant Increase In Market Share In 2002

The PHLX announced today that it experienced a 29% growth in market share in the last half of 2002, the largest market share growth in equity options among all of the Exchanges, when it reached 14.07% in December, up from 10.89% in July. December 2002 market share for equity options also represents a 26% growth in market share when compared to the same year-ago period. These increases have strengthened the PHLX's position as the fourth largest equity options exchange.

For the month of December, equity options volume totalled 6,860,613 contracts, an increase of 14.49% when compared to the same month last year when 5,992,326 contracts traded. Equity options volume decreased 9% from the previous month when 7,539,313 contracts traded.

Equity trading volume in December jumped 31.52% when 228,940,265 shares traded when compared to the same month last year when 174,066,297 shares traded. Equity trading volume decreased 8.70% compared to the previous month's volume when 250,758,069 shares traded.

Sectors index options trading volume increased 9.16% when 186,106 contracts traded in December compared to 170,488 contracts in the previous month. Sector index option volume declined 18.39% when compared to the same month last year when 228,056 contracts traded.

PHLX currently lists options on 12 sectors: PHLX/KBW Bank Sector (BKX^SM); PHLX Computer Box Maker Sector^SM (BMX^SM); PHLX Drug Sector^SM (RXS^SM); PHLX Forest and Paper Products Sector^SM(FPPS^SM); PHLX Gold/Silver Sector^SM (XAU^SM); PHLX Oil Service Sector^SM (OSX^SM); PHLX OTC Prime Sector^SM (OTX^SM); PHLX Defense Sector^SM (DFX^SM); TheStreet.com Internet Sector (DOT^SM); PHLX Semiconductor Sector^SM (SOX^SM); PHLX Utility Sector^SM (UTY^SM); and the PHLX Housing Sector^SM(HGX).

Trading volume in December in the customized and standardized currency options totaled 23,774 contracts, a 15.24% decrease from the previous month when 28,048 contracts traded, and a 12.31% decrease from the same month last year when 27,110 contracts traded.

The Philadelphia Stock Exchange (PHLX) was founded in 1790. The PHLX trades more than 2,200 stocks, 1,016 listed equity options, 12 sectors index options and currency pairs. For more information about the PHLX and its products, visit www.phlx.com.