Third quarter volume figures from the big four exchanges showed a continuing gulf between the old world and the new, with growth continuing apace in the US while Europe appeared to have peaked for the time being.
Chicago Board of Trade announced that total exchange quarterly volume had expanded sharply compared to the same period in 2003, reaching its second-highest level ever.
Third quarter volume came in at just under 151.5m contracts, up 17.9% on Q3 2003. Year-to-date volume was up 31.6% on the same period in 2003 while volume in September reached its second-highest ever level at a whisker over 55m contracts, up 34.1% from September 2003.
The exchange's US Treasury markets continued to prosper, with daily open interest records in ten-year and two-year US T-Note futures....