The Philadelphia Stock Exchange Announces February Volume - “Phlx Continues As The Third Largest Marketplace For Options”

The Philadelphia Stock Exchange announced today that equity option volume in February jumped 68.42% when 17,107,136 contracts traded compared to the same period last year when 10,157,558 contracts traded. The Exchange garnered 13% equity options market share in February making it the third largest market center for options for the fourth month in a row. Market share without ex-dividend volume of 1,353,221 contracts was 12.1%. Equity option volume decreased 21.95% compared to the previous month when 21,917,015 contracts traded.

Volume in sectors index options in February increased 37.06% when 683,411 contracts traded compared to 498,620 contracts traded in the same year-ago period. Sectors index options volume in February decreased 2.59% compared to previous month when 701,617 contracts traded.

Equity volume for February decreased 49.92% when 65,209,717 shares traded compared to the same year-ago period when 130,204,341 shares traded. Equity volume in February decreased 21.20% compared to the previous month when 82,755,970 shares traded.

Trading volume in the customized and standardized currency options for February totaled 10,342 contracts, a decrease of 7.22% compared to the same year-ago period when 11,147 contracts traded.

PHLX currently lists options on 20 sectors, among them are: PHLX/KBW Bank Index (BKX^SM); KBW Insurance Index (KIX^SM); KBW Capital Markets Index (KSX^SM); PHLX Drug Sector^SM (RXS^SM); PHLX Gold/Silver Sector^SM (XAU^SM); PHLX Oil Service Sector^SM (OSX^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^SM (XEX ^SM); SIG Cable, Media & Entertainment Index^™ (SCQ ^SM); SIG Casino Gaming Index^™ (SGV^SM); SIG Semiconductor Device Index^™ (SDL^SM); the SIG Steel Producers Index^™ (STQ^SM).

The PHLX now trades iShares FTSE/Xinhua China 25 Index Fund (FXI^SM). This is the first time investors in the United States and abroad will be able to track the performance of the largest and most widely traded Chinese stocks by mirroring the FTSE/Xinhua China 25 Index, which captures the top Chinese stocks available to international investors by total market capitalization.

The Philadelphia Stock Exchange was founded in 1790. The PHLX trades 2,035 stocks, 2,036 equity options, 20 sectors index options, and currency options and futures. For more information about the PHLX and its products, visit www.phlx.com.