DOW JONES NEWSWIRES
CME Group Inc.'s (CME) daily trading volume rose 17% in
February, the exchange operator said, on strong growth in
interest-rate volume and record-setting levels for energy and
commodities amid turmoil in the Middle East.
Investors' increased focus on unrest in the Middle East and
North Africa has boosted activity of late. The world's biggest
futures exchange operator also has been seeing traders gradually
return to its markets in recent quarters as the financial crisis
has receded further into the past.
In February, CME's daily volume averaged 14.7 million contracts,
which was also a 19% increase from January. About 83% of last
month's total of 279 million contracts were traded
electronically.
CME said interest-rate futures volume--its biggest product by
contract volume--jumped 30% from a year earlier in February to 7.4
million contracts a day, the highest monthly average since May.
Energy and commodities contract volumes jumped 26% and 44%,
respectively, to record levels. Equity index volume slid 14% while
metals had a 4% increase.
Shares closed Tuesday at $306.50 and were inactive premarket.
Through the latest close, the stock has dipped 1% the past
year.
-By Matt Jarzemsky, Dow Jones Newswires; 212-416-2240;
matthew.jarzemsky@dowjones.com