PHLX Posts Record Breaking Volume For 1999 - PHLX Equity And Index Options Volume Reaches All Time Record

The Philadelphia Stock Exchange's (PHLX) just-released 1999 figures reveal that volume in PHLX's 950 equity options reached an all-time annual record of 44,281,558 contracts traded, an increase of 18% over last year's annual volume when 37,473,343 contracts changed hands. In addition, equity options volume for the month of December reached a monthly volume record when 4,261,170 contracts traded, a 38% increase over December, 1998 when 3,088,325 contracts changed hands. Year-to-date volume in PHLX's 11 sector index options reached an all-time annual record of 3,189,587 contracts traded. In addition, volume for the month of December reached 201,183 contracts, a 6% increase over December, 1998 when 189,736 contracts traded. The PHLX continues to be successful in introducing and trading key market barometers. It currently trades five of the industries most popular sector index options: The PHLX/KBW Bank Sector (BKX), Gold/Silver Sector (XAU), Oil Service Sector (OSX), Semiconductor Sector (SOX), and TheStreet.com Internet Sector (DOT). Volume on PHLX's equity floor reached record-breaking levels when 1,765,901,337 shares traded during 1999, an increase of 26% in comparison to annual volume for 1998 when 1,406,579,464 shares traded. In addition, equity volume for the month of December reached 179,863,252 shares, a 16% increase over the same month last year when 155,263,489 shares traded. The PHLX trades over 2600 equities. Volume in PHLX's customized and standardized currency options for 1999 reached 826,092 contracts traded, approximately $37.1 billion in underlying value. The PHLX is the oldest securities exchange in the U.S. and the nation's fastest growing sectors index options exchange. Founded in 1790, PHLX is a market leader in the trading of over 2600 stocks, 950 equity options, 11 sector index options, and 100 currency pairs.