CME Group Reaches Second-Highest Monthly Volume Ever, Averaging 24.3 Million Contracts Per Day In August 2019

CME Group, the world's leading and most diverse derivatives marketplace, reached average daily volume (ADV) of 24.3 million contracts during August 2019, up 53% from August 2018 and the second-highest monthly ADV on record. During a month that historically sees lower average daily volumes, August 2019 was the company's best August ever. Open interest (OI) at the end of August was 139 million contracts, up 21% from year-end 2018 and up 14% from August 2018.

Equity Index volume averaged 5 million contracts per day in August 2019, up 109% from August 2018 and the third-highest monthly ADV on record. Highlights include:

• Record Micro E-mini Equity Index futures ADV of 854,000 contracts, nearly double the monthly average since May launch through July
• E-mini S&P 500 futures and options ADV grew 72% to 2.9 million contracts
• E-mini Nasdaq-100 futures and options ADV rose 84% to 622,000 contracts
• E-mini Dow futures and options ADV increased 101% to 262,000 contracts
• E-mini Russell 2000 futures and options ADV grew 66% to 163,000 contracts
• Nikkei 225 (yen) futures and options ADV grew 103% to 56,000 contracts

Interest Rate volume averaged 13.7 million contracts per day in August 2019, up 59% from August 2018 and the third-highest monthly ADV on record.  Highlights include:

• U.S. Treasury futures and options ADV increased to 8.1 million contracts, including a record 6.9 million Treasury futures, both up 46% from August 2018
• Record 2-Year U.S. Treasury Note futures ADV, up 87% to 1.2 million contracts
• Record Ultra 10-Year U.S. Treasury Note futures and options ADV, up 94% to 406,000 contracts
• Record Ultra T-Bond futures and options ADV, up 38% to 342,000 contracts
• Record SOFR futures and options ADV, up 555% to 40,000 contracts 
• Eurodollar futures and options ADV grew 76% to 5.2 million contracts
• 10-Year U.S. Treasury Note futures ADV increased 34% to 2.6 million contracts
• 30-Year U.S. Treasury Note futures ADV rose 48% to 558,000 contracts
• Fed Fund futures ADV rose 156% to 408,000 contracts
• Weekly Treasury options ADV increased 65% to 192,000 contracts

Options volume averaged 4.7 million contracts per day in August 2019, up 49% from August 2018. Highlights include:

• Interest Rate options ADV grew 64% to 3.1 million contracts
• Equity Index options ADV rose 43% to 941,000 contracts
• Agricultural options ADV increased 1% to 271,000 contracts
• Energy options ADV increased 7% to 240,000 contracts
• Metals options ADV grew 90% to 128,000 contracts

Metals volume averaged a record 885,000 contracts per day in August 2019, up 41% from August 2018. Highlights include:

• Record Silver options ADV, up 82% to 16,000 contracts
• Gold futures and options ADV increased 74% to 588,000 contracts
• Silver futures and options ADV rose 39% to 156,000 contracts
• Platinum futures and options ADV grew 25% to 23,000 contracts
• Copper options ADV rose 106% to 3,000 contracts

Energy volume averaged 2.4 million contracts per day in August 2019, up 25% from August 2018. Highlights include:

• WTI Crude Oil futures and options ADV increased 43% to 1.4 million contracts
• Natural Gas futures and options ADV grew 10% to 520,000 contracts
• Brent Crude Oil futures and options ADV rose 86% to 114,000 contracts

Agricultural volume averaged 1.5 million contracts per day in August 2019, up 4% from August 2018. Highlights include:

• Grain and Oilseeds futures and options ADV rose 4% to 1.3 million contracts
• Corn futures and options ADV grew 28% to 610,000 contracts
• Hard Red Winter Wheat futures ADV increased 1% to 74,000 contracts
• Live Cattle futures and options ADV rose 19% to 71,000 contracts

Foreign Exchange volume averaged 821,000 contracts per day in August 2019, down 7% from August 2018. Highlights include:

• Japanese yen futures and options ADV rose 37% to 166,000 contracts
• Canadian dollar futures and options ADV increased 3% to 79,000 contracts
• Swiss franc futures and options ADV rose 3% to 28,000 contracts
• Brazilian real futures and options ADV grew 54% to 12,000 contracts
• FX Cross Rates futures and options ADV rose 24% to 9,000 contracts
• Indian rupee futures and options ADV increased 41% to 4,500 contracts
• South African rand futures and options ADV rose 41% to 4,000 contracts
• Russian ruble futures and options ADV increased 72% to 3,400 contracts

BrokerTec fixed income and EBS foreign exchange trading activity highlights include: 

• U.S. Treasury average daily notional volume grew 65% to $211 billion
• U.S. Repo average daily notional volume increased 22% to $267 billion
• European Repo average daily notional volume increased 4% to €272 billion
• Spot FX average daily notional volume increased 7% to $91 billion