February is Second Most-Active Trading Month in CBOE Futures Exchange History

CHICAGO, March 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The CBOE Futures Exchange, LLC (CFE) today announced that February 2012 was the second most-active trading month in CFE history as volume totaled 1,340,780 contracts, an increase of 70 percent from the 789,734 contracts traded in February 2011.  Average daily volume (ADV) at CFE during February 2012 was 67,039 contracts, the second-highest ADV ever, and up 61 percent from the 41,565 contracts traded per day a year ago.  February's total trading volume trailed only the 1.8 million contracts traded in August 2011. 

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When comparing trading activity in February to the previous month, CFE total monthly volume rose by 65 percent from the 811,283 total contracts and average daily volume gained 65 percent from the 40,564 contracts per day during January 2012. 

VIX Futures

In February 2012, CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) futures volume totaled 1,338,471 contracts traded, an increase of 70 percent from the year ago volume of 788,908 contracts traded and up 65 percent from the 808,784 contracts traded in January 2012.  For the month, average daily volume in VIX futures was 66,924 contracts, compared with 41,521 contracts per day a year ago and the ADV of 40,439 contracts in the previous month.      

New Products

On February 2, CFE launched futures trading on the Radar Logic 25-Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) RPX Composite Index (futures symbol: RPXCP). The index tracks U.S. residential housing values as a whole.  Unlike other housing price indicators, Radar Logic's real estate index values are published daily and include all types of residential real estate closings.  RPXCP futures are the first of several Radar Logic 28-Day Real Estate indexes on which CFE plans to offer futures contracts.  A total of 20 contracts traded during the first month. 

On February 21, CFE launched trading of security futures on the CBOE Brazil ETF Volatility Index (VXEW).  The VXEW Index reflects the implied volatility of the iShares MSCI Brazil Index exchange traded fund.  In their first seven trading days, 100 VXEW security futures traded.      

CBOE Emerging Markets ETF Volatility Index (VXEM) security futures, which launched on January 9, traded 1,125 contracts during February, compared with 1,956 contracts traded during January. On February 21, CFE changed the contract multiplier for VXEM security futures to $100 from $1,000.  The CBOE Emerging Markets ETF Volatility Index tracks the implied volatility of the iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Index exchange traded fund. 

About CFE                 

CFE currently offers futures on eight different contracts, including: the CBOE Volatility Index (VIX), Weekly options on VIX futures (VOW), CBOE mini-VIX (VM), CBOE Gold ETF Volatility Index (GVZ), CBOE S&P 500 3-Month Variance (VT), CBOE Emerging Markets ETF Volatility Index (VXEM), CBOE Brazil ETF Volatility Index (VXEW) and Radar Logic 25-Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) RPX Composite Index (RPXCP).

CFE, a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBOE Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: CBOE), offers an all-electronic, open-access market model, with traders providing liquidity and making markets. CFE is regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and all trades are cleared by the OCC.  More information on CFE and its products, including contract specifications, can be found at: http://cfe.cboe.com/.  

CBOE-EF

CBOE®, Chicago Board Options Exchange®, CFE®, CBOE Volatility Index® and VIX® are registered trademarks, and CBOE Futures Exchange(SM), GVZ(SM), VOW(SM), VXEM(SM), VXEW(SM) and Weeklys(SM) are servicemarks of Chicago Board Options Exchange, Incorporated (CBOE).  Standard & Poor's®, S&P® and S&P 500® are registered trademarks of Standard & Poor's Financial Services, LLC, and have been licensed for use by CBOE and CFE.  All other trademarks and servicemarks are the property of their respective owners.  

SOURCE CBOE Futures Exchange, LLC