During the 2000/2001 fiscal year total futures volume reached 2,810,084 contracts surpassing the previous annual record of 2,271,516 contracts set during the 1999/00 fiscal year.
Activity in canola futures established all-time volume levels this fiscal year, with 2,292,332 contracts traded, well ahead of the previous record of 1,797,176 contracts set in the 1999/00 fiscal year. Meanwhile, canola futures monthly volume showed a 59.3% increase in August over the same month a year ago. Open interest in canola futures on August 31, 2001 stood at 67,623 contracts, up 19% compared to August 31, 2000.
Feed wheat futures pit trade for the month rose significantly to 15,068 contracts compared to 10,083 contracts in August 2000. Increases were also witnessed in open interest levels in feed wheat futures as of August 31, 2001, which were 10.8% higher than the same date in 2000.
Total monthly futures pit trade, for all commodities combined, for the month of August reached 180,415 contracts, 54.8% higher than one year ago. Increases in canola, western barley and feed wheat futures volume levels for August were contributing factors behind the increase in total futures volume. Total futures open interest, for all commodities combined, was also higher for the month, up 15.7%, at 100,047 contracts as of August 31, 2001, compared to the 86,488 contracts open on August 31, 2000.
As well, options trade surpassed previous annual records with total options volume levels reaching 115,616 contracts in 2000/01. The previous record for total options trade was set in the 1993/94 fiscal year at 77,255 contracts. Total options open interest reached a new record on August 31, 2001 at 32,105 contracts. Canola options volume also witnessed a new fiscal year-end record of 105,240 contracts well surpassing the previous record of 72,235 contracts attained in the 1995/96 fiscal year. As well, barley options established new record volume levels of 6,729 contracts. The previous record was set in 1999/00 at 5,620 contracts.
Total options and futures pit trade combined was 58.9% higher than one year earlier at 192,441 contracts. Total options and futures open interest as of August 31, 2001 reached 132,152 contracts, compared to the 105,578 contracts open on August 31, 2000.
