Equity options volume for the year totaled more than 109 million contracts representing a 29% increase over 2002. PHLX again was the only floor-based exchange to gain market share in 2003, growing to 13.15% for the year.
The PHLX also announced that volume increased in all options products for the month of December 2003. Market share in equity options reached 16.57% in December, a record figure representing an 18% gain over the previous month continuing a broader growth trend highlighted by five consecutive months of market share growth.
The PHLX led the industry in equity options market share three times in December 2003 culminating on December 31 when the Exchange garnered 29.15% of equity option business when 1,302,480 shares traded.
Equity options in the month of December reached 13,578, 288 contracts representing a 98% increase over the same year-ago period when 6,860,613 contracts traded. Compared to the previous month, volume increased 36% when 9,977,867 contracts traded.
Sectors index options trading volume in December increased 98% when 367,729, contracts traded compared to the same month last year when 186,106 contracts traded. Sector index option volume increased 32.4 % when compared to the previous month when 277,847 contracts traded.
PHLX currently lists options on 14 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 TM (SMQ SM), and the Europe Sector Index (XEX SM).
Trading volume in December in the customized and standardized currency options totaled 33,603 contracts, a 41.3 % increase from the same year-ago period when 23,774contracts traded, and a 6.7% increase from the previous month when 31,489 contracts traded.
The Philadelphia Stock Exchange was founded in 1790. The PHLX trades 2,000 stocks, more than 1,1 00 equity options, 14 sectors index options, and currency option and futures. For more information about the PHLX and its products, visit www.phlx.com.
