S&P/MIB Options Hit New Daily Record

Standard & Poor's, the leading provider of independent investment research, indices and ratings, said today that the S&P/MIB index options reached a new volume record of 32,744 contracts traded on Wednesday October 19, 2005.

This record represents the highest volume value on the Italian index options since the launch of the index options contract in November 1995. The previous record was set in April 2005 by the S&P/MIB with 28,805 contracts traded.

These growing volumes coincide with the increase of expiries on the S&P/MIB options out to 3 years and to an increase of S&P/MIB structured products in issuance. Higher volumes on the Lyxor S&P/MIB ETF and on the SEDEX market are also bringing new liquidity to the S&P/MIB listed options market.