Record Month For SFE 30 Day Interbank Cash Rate Futures And Electricity Futures

Sydney Futures Exchange experienced record trading volumes in both its 30 Day Interbank Cash Rate Futures contract and its Electricity Futures contract in the month of May. This is the fourth month in 2005 that the 30 Day Interbank Cash Rate Futures contract has experienced record volumes, and the first time for Electricity Futures since 2003.

Daily average volumes for both products increased significantly from 6,616 to 7,570 for the 30 Day Interbank Cash Rate Futures and to 129 per day for the Electricity Futures Contract.

“The 30 Day Interbank Cash Rate Futures contract continues to go from strength to strength,” said Peter Hiom, General Manager, Exchange Business Development. “As we continue to see a broadening of the user base and diversity in the use of the contract, we expect to see these records continue to fall over the next twelve months.”

With regard to the record volumes in the Electricity Futures contract, Mr Hiom said, “The new record set by this contract is especially significant in that it reflects both the maturing and acceptance of the contract as the primary risk management tool for Australian energy users, and also the culmination of a significant amount of work by both SFE, the major market users and our partners d-cyphaTrade.”

The SFE 30 Day Interbank Cash Rate Futures contact was introduced in August 2003.

The SFE / d-cypha Electricity Futures contract was launched in September 2002.