WCE Starts Second Year Of Electronic Trading With All-Time Canola Volume Record

Winnipeg Commodity Exchange Inc. ("WCE") marks the first day of its second year of electronic trading with an all-time daily volume record for canola futures contracts. There were 27,589 canola futures contracts traded today. The previous record was set on February 14, 2001 when 26,616 canola futures contracts were traded.

This record follows six consecutive months of higher month-over-month volume compared to the previous year and several open interest records for canola during the month of December.

On December 20, 2004 WCE became North America's first commodity futures and options exchange to fully convert from open outcry to electronic trading.

"We have had a very successful first year of trading electronically", said Mike Gagné, WCE President and CEO. "The events of the past year, including the added interest in our market, the 13 new Direct Access Trading Participants and the increased volumes and open interest levels position us well for the future", added Gagné.

Total volume of trade for the period December 20, 2004 through December 19, 2005 exceeded 2 million futures and options contracts. Canola futures contract volume increased by 52,008 contracts to 1,774,347 contracts. Ten open interest and daily volume records and eight second highest records have been achieved since the move to electronic trading.