Futures contract volume rose sharply from a year ago to 265,075 contracts, representing an increase of 55.6% from March 2005. Canola futures contract volume gained 67.6% from last year to 237,537 contracts. Trade in western barley futures contracts posted an increase of 20.9% with 23,987 contracts changing hands during the month. There were 3,551 feed wheat futures contracts traded during March 2006.
There were 3,521 canola options traded over the month which is 242.5% higher than a year ago.
WCE crop year-to-date volume of trade (since August 1, 2005) is up 24.2% in futures contracts at 1,682,950 contracts and 99.5% in options contracts at 24,621 contracts. Total volume of trade for the crop year-to-date is up 24.9% from last year at 1,707,571 contracts.
At the end of March open interest in futures contracts was 33.4% higher than a year ago at 112,442 contracts and options open interest stood at 13,773 contracts which is 234.5% over the level of a year ago. Total open interest of 126,215 contracts is 42.8% higher than March 31, 2005.
Winnipeg Commodity Exchange Inc., established in 1887, has been facilitating futures contract trading since 1904. WCE is Canada's only agricultural futures and options exchange and North America's first fully electronic commodity exchange. WCE offers futures and options contracts on canola, domestic feed wheat, and western barley.
