SPOOZ Inc (SPZI)

[songbirdia]

OT: Volumes soar at Chicago exchanges
Melanie Wold

03 Apr 2007
The Chicago Mercantile Exchange and the Chicago Board of Trade each reported record trading volumes for first quarter 2007. Both exchanges benefited from growth in electronic trading and volatile securities markets.

The CME set quarterly and monthly volume records in every product line. During the first quarter of 2007, CME volume surged by 30% from the same period in 2006, with an average 6.5 million contracts per day traded.

Average daily volume on the CME Globex electronic trading platform increased by 40% - hitting a record 4.8 million contracts per day - compared to first quarter 2006. Globex trading represented 75% of total CME volume. The month of March was particularly active and CME reported average volume at a record 7.7 million contracts per day, up 45% from March 2006.

The CBOT also set volume records with average daily volume for the first quarter of 2007 at 3.9 million contracts; 24% higher than the first quarter of 2006. Total volume for the first quarter was 239.7 million contracts, also up 24% from first quarter 2006 and 18% higher than the last quarterly record which was set in the fourth quarter of 2006.

CBOT’s e-cbot electronic trading platform also set a record, with 3 million contracts traded on average each day during the first quarter, a 42% increase over first quarter of 2006. Electronic trading on e-cbot represented 78% of CBOT's total volume in the first quarter.

The securities industry in general had a stellar year in 2006, according to the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association. Sifma reported that the industry achieved an 88.2% increase over 2005, with full-year profits of $33.1bn (€24.8bn). The previous record was $31.6bn in 2000.

The securities industry's performance in 2006 was led by exceptionally strong trading gains and record underwriting revenue, said SIFMA. For the whole year, securities firms realized $43bn in trading gains, 84.7% above the 2005 level of $23.3 bn.

http://www.financialnews-us.com/?page=ushome&contentid=2347497066

Spooz is in an industry that seems to be growing.

Songbird