Winnipeg Commodity Exchange Futures Total Open Interest Record Set

Winnipeg Commodity Exchange (WCE) established a new record total open interest in futures on March 15, 2000 at 106,016 contracts. The previous record for total open interest of 105,346 contracts was set October 15, 1999.

Couched within that record, May canola futures open interest continues to establish new highs, reaching 36,406 on March 15, 2000.

Trading in all futures and options contracts at WCE is continuing at a record volume pace.

"The record volume trends we are seeing at WCE demonstrates the increasing interest in our markets and products," said Bruce Love, Director of Marketing for WCE.

Canola is the most actively traded commodity on WCE, providing the world's premier price discovery and risk management tools for canola. This contract has been trading since 1963; options on canola futures have been available since 1991.

Increasing interest in barley futures is also supporting this record total open interest. There were 22,352 contracts open March 15, 2000, approaching the historical high of 25,160 set December 27, 1996.

WCE trades futures contracts in: canola, western barley, flaxseed, oats, feed wheat and field peas; and options contracts in: canola, flaxseed, feed wheat and western barley.

Winnipeg Commodity Exchange is a not-for-profit organization providing financial instruments for price discovery and the transference of risk in an efficient and open manner.