Global Derivatives Volume Up 25.6% To Record 22.3 Billion Contracts In 2010

The volume of listed derivatives trading rose 25.6% to a record 22.3 billion contracts last year as the level of business in Asia overtook North America for the first time, according to a survey published Tuesday.

The exchange sector returned to growth after the global financial crisis stalled expansion for two years, fueling the rise in profits and market values underpinning an unprecedented bout of deal-making in the industry.

The volume of futures and options traded on 78 exchanges surveyed by the Washington DC-based Futures Industry Association grew at its fastest clip since 2007, outpacing cash equities and most other asset classes.

The Korea Exchange retained its position as the world's largest by contract volume--buoyed by its market-leading options franchise--as business on Asia Pacific platforms climbed 42.8%, outpacing every region bar Latin America. North American volume rose 12.8% and Europe was 15.1% higher.

CME Group Inc. (CME) regained second spot from Eurex, a unit of Deutsche Boerse AG (DB1.XE), with the only change in the top 10 seeing Multi Commodity Exchange of India replacing the Shanghai Futures Exchange.

Asian exchanges filled half of the slots in the top 20, with four of them involved in the half-dozen or more planned or mooted deals that could reshape the global industry landscape. The five largest agricultural contracts--and eight of the top 10--are listed on Chinese exchanges Forex was the fastest-growing asset class with contract volume up 142% over 2009 at 2.4 billion, led by two U.S. dollar/rupee contracts.

-By Doug Cameron, Dow Jones Newswires; 312-750-4135; doug.cameron@dowjones.com

CME (NASDAQ:CME)
Historical Stock Chart
From May 2024 to Jun 2024