ICE Futures Sets Exchange-Wide And ICE WTI Crude Futures Volume And Open Interest Records - Total Contract Volume Exceeds Half Million For First Time

IntercontinentalExchange (NYSE: ICE), the leading electronic energy marketplace, announced that ICE Futures, its regulated futures subsidiary, established new records in trading volume both exchange-wide and in its WTI Crude futures contracts on August 7. Total volume for ICE Futures reached 567,361 contracts, surpassing the July 19, 2006 record of 497,692 contracts by 14.0%. For the first time in the exchange’s 25-year history, total volume exceeded a half million contracts.

The ICE WTI Crude futures contract set a new volume record of 241,503 contracts, exceeding the July 13 record of 178,960 contracts by 34.9%. The ICE WTI Crude futures contract also hit a new open interest high of 299,948 contracts on August 7. ICE Futures, which is the home of the benchmark Brent Crude futures contract, introduced the fully electronic WTI Crude futures contract for trading in February 2006. ICE Brent Crude futures also set a new open interest record on August 7 of 529,019 contracts.

Exchange-wide open interest on August 7 also established a new record, with 1,203,538 contracts, up 85.6% compared to 648,585 contracts at December 31, 2005.