Kansas City Board of Trade volume traded in January topped 500,000 contracts for the first time ever in the calendar month of January, resulting in new volume records in the Hard Red Winter Wheat futures contract and the exchange as a whole.
A total of 505,778 contracts were traded in January, breaking the previous January exchange volume record of 372,393 contracts set in 2006 by 35.8 percent. Trading volume posted a gain of 77.1 percent compared to January 2010 and 10.1 percent compared to December 2010. Total exchange open interest gained 50.9 percent compared to the end of January 2010 and 1.5 percent compared to the end of December 2010.
HRW wheat futures also broke the previous January volume record. A total of 485,591 contracts were traded in January, exceeding the previous record of 337,641 contracts set in 2006 by 43.8 percent. This month’s trading volume exceeded January 2010 volume by 73.5 percent and December 2010 by 10.9 percent. Open interest at the end of January posted a gain of 42.9 compared to January 2010.
HRW wheat options trading volume increased 257.2 percent in January compared to January 2010. Open interest increased 139.4 percent compared to January 2010 and 35.2 percent compared to December 2010.
The Kansas City Board of Trade is a for-profit corporation organized under the laws of Delaware. The KCBT, founded in 1856, is the world's largest futures market for hard red winter wheat. Daily quotes, market commentary, historical data and charting services are available on our website at www.kcbt.com.
VOLUME AND OPEN INTEREST SUMMARY
(in contracts)
|
Volume
|
Volume
|
%
|
Volume
|
%
|
Year-to-date
|
Year-to-date
|
%
|
CONTRACT
|
Jan 2011
|
Jan 2010
|
Change
|
Dec 2010
|
Change
|
2011 Volume
|
2010 Volume
|
Change
|
Wheat
|
485,591
|
279,945
|
73.5%
|
437,749
|
10.9%
|
485,591
|
279,945
|
73.5%
|
Wheat Options
|
20,187
|
5,652
|
257.2%
|
21,668
|
-6.8%
|
20,187
|
5,652
|
257.2%
|
Total Exchange
|
505,778
|
285,597
|
77.1%
|
459,417
|
10.1%
|
505,778
|
285597
|
77.1%
|
|
|
|||||||
Open
|
Open
|
Open
|
||||||
Interest
|
Interest
|
%
|
Interest
|
%
|
||||
1/31/2011
|
1/29/2010
|
Change
|
12/31/2010
|
Change
|
||||
Wheat
|
215,233
|
150,583
|
42.9%
|
220,095
|
-2.2%
|
|||
Wheat Options
|
32,556
|
13,601
|
139.4%
|
24,080
|
35.2%
|
|||
Total Exchange
|
247,789
|
164,184
|
50.9%
|
244,175
|
1.5%
|
|