The Philadelphia Stock Exchange Announces February 2004 Volume - "PHLX Sees Accross-The-Board Volume Increase In All Products"

The Philadelphia Stock Exchange announced today that volume has increased dramatically in February in all products compared to the same year-ago period.

Equity options trading in February reached 11,812,570 contracts, up 82.93% compared to 6,457,466 contracts traded in the same year-ago period. Daily volume in equity options for February averaged 621,714 contracts.

Sectors index options trading volume in February increased 54.77% when 404,258 contracts traded compared to the same month last year when 261,200 contracts traded.

Equity volume for February reached 276,511,748 shares, up 13.01% compared to the same month last year when 244,677,214 shares traded.

Trading volume in February in the customized and standardized currency options totaled 31,956 contracts, an 83.13 % increase from the same month last year when 17,450 contracts traded.

PHLX currently lists options on 15 sectors: PHLX/KBW Bank Index (BKX ^SM); KBW Insurance Index (KIX^SM); PHLX Computer Box Maker Sector^SM (BMX^SM); PHLX Drug Sector^SM (RXS^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); PHLX Housing Sector^SM (HGX^SM), the SIG Investment Managers Index™ (^SMQ^SM), the PHLX Europe Sector (XEX^SM) and the SIG Cable, Media & Entertainment Index™ (SCQ^SM).

The Philadelphia Stock Exchange was founded in 1790. The PHLX trades 2,000 stocks, more than 1,200 equity options, 15 sectors index options, and currency options and futures. For more information about the PHLX and its products, visit www.phlx.com.

SIG Investment Managers Index^™ is a trademark of Susquehanna Indices, LLP.
SMQ SM is a service mark of the Philadelphia Stock Exchange.
SIG Cable, Media and Entertainment Index^™ is a trademark of Susquehanna Indices, LLP.
SCQ SM is a service mark of the Philadelphia Stock Exchange.