MONTREAL, Jan. 10 /CNW Telbec/ - Montreal Exchange Inc. (MX) (TSX : MXX) reported today that its trading volume reached a total of 42.7 million contracts in 2007, an increase of 5% compared to the 40.5 million contracts traded in 2006.
Furthermore, the combined trading on MX and BOX platforms, both operated by the MX team, totalled 172.5 million contracts in 2007, an increase of 28% compared to the 134.9 million contracts traded in 2006.
HIGHLIGHTS - MX
Growth in trading activity at the Montreal Exchange was mostly attributable to: the Ten-Year Government of Canada Bond Futures contracts (CGB), which registered a 20.9% increase year over year; to the SXF, the S&P Canada 60 Index Futures contract, where trading increased 26.3%; and to equity options, including ETF options, where activity increased by 9.4% compared with the year 2006. Trading volumes in the Three-Month Canadian Bankers' Acceptance Futures contract (BAX) registered a decrease of 9.1% from the previous year, reflecting difficult conditions in short-term debt markets.
Interest Rate Derivatives
Trading activity in the Three-Month Canadian Bankers' Acceptance Futures contract (BAX) totalled 15.2 million contracts in 2007, a 9.1% decrease compared to the previous year. Open interest for the BAX stood at 369,956 on December 31, 2007, compared to 393,098 contracts on the same date of 2006.
Trading in BAX options - the OBX contract - increased 23.2% from the previous year to reach a total of 0.7 million contracts in 2007.
A total of 9.3 million Ten-Year Government of Canada Bond Futures contracts (CGB) were traded in 2007, a 20.9% increase from the previous year. Open interest for the CGB stood at 214,807 contracts on December 31, 2007, compared to 335,215 contracts on the same date of 2006.
Index Derivatives
Trading activity in the SXF, the S&P Canada 60 Index Futures contract, increased 26.3% in 2007 to reach a total of 3.9 million contracts. Open interest in the SXF was 149,912 contracts on December 31, 2007, compared to 166,635 contracts on the same date of 2006.
Equity Derivatives
A total of 13.4 million equity options and ETF options were traded during the year 2007, a 9.4% increase in volume compared to 2006. Open interest was 1.81 million contracts on December 31, 2007, an increase of 14.1% from December 31, 2006.
HIGHLIGHTS - BOX
The total volume traded on BOX reached 129.8 million contracts in 2007, an increase of 38% compared to the 94.4 million contracts traded in 2006.
Detailed statistical data on MX trading volumes is available in the
statistical report for December 2007 which can be found at the following
web address: http://www.m-x.ca/f_stat_en/0712_stats_en.pdf.
More information on BOX trading volumes is available at
http://www.bostonoptions.com.
About Montreal Exchange Inc.
The Montreal Exchange (MX) is the Canadian derivatives exchange. The MX offers trading in Canadian interest rate, index and equity derivatives. Clearing, settlement and risk management services are provided by an AA rated clearing house, the Canadian Derivatives Clearing Corporation, fully owned by the MX. Our integrated trading and clearing services are supported by a proprietary suite of exchange technologies, known as SOLA(R). The MX also has interests in: the Boston Options Exchange (BOX), a U.S. automated equity options market, for which MX is the technical operator; the Canadian Resources Exchange (CAREX), a new corporation created with NYMEX that is dedicated to developing the Canadian energy market; and the Montreal Climate Exchange (MCeX), a joint venture with the Chicago Climate Exchange(R), aiming to establish the leading market for publicly traded environmental products in Canada. For more information about the Montreal Exchange, please visit www.m-x.ca.