The Chicago Board of Trade today announced that Exchange-wide volume in January was 45,158,094 contracts, up 9.6 percent from 2004.
Exchange-wide average daily volume in January increased 9.6 percent to 2,257,905 contracts from levels seen in the prior year. In addition, total Exchange open interest at the end of January rose 21.8 percent from last year to 11,767,002 contracts.
New open interest records were set in the CBOT’s Treasury, Agricultural and Precious Metals futures markets. Open interest in Two-Year U.S. Treasury Note futures surged to a record 317,217 contracts on January 24, while open interest in Wheat futures rose to a high of 221,405 contracts on January 31.
The CBOT’s 100 percent electronically traded Precious Metals complex, which is composed of mini-sized and full-sized Gold and Silver futures contracts, performed strongly in January. Open interest in CBOT full-sized Gold futures, which were launched with full-sized Silver futures on October 6, rose to a new high of 3,276 contracts on January 19.
Year-to-date through January, 553,729 futures and options orders, excluding futures spreads, were electronically sent directly to floor brokers using Electronic Clerks, or order receipt devices. In addition, in January, a new monthly high of 84 percent of total Agricultural futures orders were filled electronically, compared to 76 percent in January 2004.
CBOT President and CEO Bernard Dan said, “After setting a third consecutive annual trading volume record in 2004, the CBOT has begun 2005 with an outstanding performance, as illustrated by the strength in volume and open interest across its markets this January. Customers clearly value the openness, liquidity and transparency that our markets provide. The Exchange continues to serve its customers through its innovative products and the benefits of the CBOT’s superior electronic trading platform and clearing system.”