Fueled by high market volatility, U.S. options trading volume surged to a monthly volume record in August with 294.21 million contracts, up 11% compared with the prior monthly record set in July, according to data provided by the Options Industry Council.
The August volume also represented an 83.4% increase compared with August 2006. Year-to-date options volume stands at 1.82 billion contracts, up 37.5% from the same period in 2006, and representing an average daily volume of 10.83 million contracts.
Futures soared as well, with CME Group, the world’s largest derivatives exchange, reporting an average daily volume of 14.9 million contracts, up 78% vs. August 2006, according to a news release from the exchange. Volume for the E-mini equity index futures averaged a record 3.6 million contracts, up 155% vs. August 2006. Interest rate futures also posted a record daily average of 9.8 million contracts, up 67% from August 2006.
