CME Volume Rose 13% in December; Interest Rates, Forex Surge

The CME Group (CME), the old Chicago Merc, is down 48 cents, a fraction of a percent, at $341.93 after the firm this morning reported its volume of transactions rose in December by 13% compared to 2008, to 9.2 million contracts per day, the second consecutive month of year-over-year growth in 2009. The biggest gains were in energy contracts, foreign exchange, Treasury futures, interest rate contracts and Eurodollar contracts, up 21%, 81%, 64%, 42% and 38%, respectively. Equity index volume fell 27%. CME commodities contracts were up 6% while metals volume rose 111%.

Derivatives clearing house�CME Group (CME), the old Chicago Merc, is down 48 cents, a fraction of a percent, at $341.93 after the firm this morning reported its volume of transactions rose in December by 13% compared to 2008, to 9.2 million contracts per day, the second consecutive month of year-over-year growth in 2009. The biggest gains were in energy contracts, foreign exchange, Treasury futures, interest rate contracts and Eurodollar contracts, up 21%, 81%, 64%, 42% and 38%, respectively. Equity index volume fell 27%. CME commodities contracts were up 6% while metals volume rose 111%.