The Philadelphia Stock Exchange Announces September Volume - PHLX Continues As The Third Largest U.S. Marketplace For Options

The Philadelphia Stock Exchange announced today that equity option volume in September increased 59.82% when 20,768,135 contracts traded compared to the same year-ago period when 13,006,001 contracts traded. Equity option volume in September increased 2.12% compared to the previous month when 20,354,679 contracts traded.

The Exchange garnered 14.4 % equity options market share in September making it the third largest market center in the U.S. for options for the eleventh month in a row. PHLX market share without ex-dividend volume was 13.08%.

According to an article in the latest edition of Futures Industry Magazine, the PHLX showed the most growth by volume amongst the U.S. derivatives exchanges garnering 89.9% growth from January through June 2005 compared to the same period in 2006. The PHLX was also cited as being the third fastest growing derivatives exchange worldwide in the same time period.

Sectors index options volume in September increased 7.87% when 574,025 contracts traded compared to the same year-ago period when 532,127 contracts traded. Volume in sectors index options in September rose12.17% compared to the previous month when 511,025 contracts traded

Trading volume in the customized and standardized currency options for September totaled 8,930 contracts, a decrease of 34.23% compared to the same year-ago period when 13,578 contracts traded. Volume in September decreased 19.60% compared to the previous month when 11,107 contracts traded.

Equity volume for September decreased 55.49% when 48,516,901 shares traded compared the same year-ago period when 108,999,320 shares traded. Equity volume for September increased 11.66% compared to the previous month when 43,449,753 shares traded.

PHLX currently lists options on 16 sectors, among them are: PHLX/KBW Bank Index (BKX^SM); KBW Insurance Index (KIX^SM); KBW Capital Markets Index (KSX^SM); KBW Mortgage Finance Index (MFX^SM); KBW Regional Banking Index (KRX^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); SIG Coal Producers Index^TM (SCP^SM); SIG Oil & Exploration Index^TM (EPX^SM); and the SIG Steel Producers Index^TM (STQ^SM).

The PHLX 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 2,287 stocks, 2,231 equity options, 16 sectors index options, and currency options and futures. For more information about the PHLX and its products, visit www.phlx.com.