Liffe down but exchanges record strong start to 2005

Most of the world's largest futures and options exchanges had a robust start to 2005, with Chicago Board of Trade (CBoT), Eurex and Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) reporting strong quarters. But the first three months of the year were not as healthy for Euronext Liffe, which traded 203m contracts, a 13% decrease on 2004.

Liffe attributed its downturn to a "sustained lack of volatility in the short term interest rate and equity markets and the very strong first quarter of last year." On a positive note for the European...