Volume At Kansas City Board Of Trade Surpasses Annual Record

Thursday's activity at the Kansas City Board of Trade pushed 1999 year-to-date trading volume past the previous annual record, putting an exclamation point on the exchange's outstanding growth in the '90s. Year-to-date volume at the KCBT through Thursday was 2,304,550 contracts, surpassing the previous annual record of 2,296,573 contracts set in 1997. The exchange now has the remainder of the year to build on the new annual record. Kansas City Board of Trade wheat products have led the way in growth this year, with wheat options establishing a new annual volume record in September and wheat futures following suit early this month. A new product, KCBT ISDEX, Internet stock index futures and options launched in June, also contributed to volume growth in 1999. The remainder of the year is expected to bring increased activity to KCBT Value Line, and Mini Value Line, futures related to the January Effect, while KCBT western natural gas futures are in the process of switching to an industry-sought basis contract. "Now is an exciting time to be a part of the Kansas City Board of Trade," said Michael Braude, KCBT President. "The 1990s have been an outstanding decade in this exchange's 140-year history. We look forward to the future."