CBOT Trading Volume Up 32.3%

CHICAGO - Aug 3/04 - SNS -- Trading volumes on the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) maintained their strong pace through July, lifting calendar year-to-date volume 32.3% above last year to 338,417,477 contracts.

The exchange said volume in July totaled 43,335,019 contracts; while total exchange open interest at the end of July was up 30.5% over last year at 11,822,859 contracts.

From January through July, 4,922,831 futures and options orders, excluding futures spreads, were electronically sent directly to floor brokers using Electronic Clerks, or order receipt devices, compared to 3,404,271 orders in the same period in 2003. In addition, from January through July, 82% of total Agricultural futures orders were filled electronically, an all-time high, compared to 63% in 2003.

Agricultural futures and options complex trade was up 14.6% from July 2003 at 7,137,613 contracts and up 39.6% year to date at 55,020,626 contracts. Soybean meal futures volume rose to a daily record of 67,114 contracts on July 7. Wheat futures rose 30.2% year to date to 4,892,210 contracts. Corn futures rose 16.1% from last year to 1,740,519 contracts and 46.2% year to date to 15,589,004 contracts. Soybean futures rose 11.9% from last year to 1,551,320 contracts and 27.0% year to date to 12,128,895 contracts.

Mini soybean futures rose 28.8% from last year to 21,682 contracts and 153.9% year to date to 223,471 contracts. Soybean meal futures rose 13.1% from last year and 6.3% from June to 873,226 contracts. Volume rose 21.0% year to date to 5,466,637 contracts. Soybean oil futures rose 11.8% year to date to 4,671,815 contracts.

Corn options rose 89.8% from last year and 11.8% from June to 937,732 contracts. Volume rose 130.5% year to date to 5,322,147 contracts. Soybean options rose 22.3% from last year to 495,654 contracts and 64.5% year to date to 3,922,311 contracts. Soybean meal options rose 211.2% from last year and 14.5% from June to 115,425 contracts. Volume rose 167.1% year to date to 682,028 contracts. Soybean oil options rose 34.3% from last year to 75,104 contracts and 103.9% year to date to 658,097 contracts.