CME Group’s February volume averaged 10.8 million contracts per day, trending up from recent months though down 28% from February 2008.
Average daily volume during February increased 14% from average daily volume of 9.5 million contracts during January 2009 and increased 32% from average daily volume of 8.2 million contracts in December 2008.
Total volume was 206 million contracts for February, of which 79% was traded electronically. Total electronic volume averaged 8.5 million contracts per day, up 16% sequentially but down 28% from the prior February.
Average daily volume cleared on ClearPort was 706,000 contracts for the month, up 39% compared with February 2008, which highlighted market participants’ increased interest in the safety and soundness of CME Group’s regulated, transparent and centrally cleared markets.
The PJM daily electricity swap futures contracts were launched on ClearPort on 8 December 2008. These contracts have an average rate per contract of approximately 10 cents due to their small size and averaged an estimated 168,000 contracts per day in February, representing 24% of the volume cleared on ClearPort for the month. This compares with average daily volume of 121,000 contracts per day representing 20% of volume cleared on ClearPort in January.
CME Group interest rate volume averaged 4.1 million contracts per day in February, up 16% from January 2009 and down 51% from February 2008. E-mini equity index volume averaged 3.3 million contracts per day in February, up 15% sequentially and up 11% from the same period last year.
February equity standard volume averaged 141,000 contracts per day, up 16% sequentially and down 7% from the prior February. Foreign exchange (FX) volume averaged 512,000 contracts per day in February, up 11% sequentially and down 10% from the same month last year. This volume represented an average daily notional value of $64 billion.
Commodities and alternative investments volume averaged 789,000 contracts per day in February, up 20% from January 2009 and down 24% from February 2008.
L.D.