CBOT Reports Record February Volume

CHICAGO - Mar 1/05 - SNS -- The Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) says 61,399,407 contracts changed hands in February for a 40.1% from 2004 and 36% from January. Volume was a new monthly record for the CBOT, surpassing the previous record of 59,467,507 contracts set in November 2004.

Year-to-date (YTD) through February, total volume was up 25.4% to 106,557,501 contracts. Exchange-wide average daily volume in February increased 40.1% from levels seen in the prior year to 3,231,548 contracts.

Exchange-wide open interest set a record of 13,481,427 contracts on February 17. Total Exchange open interest at the end of February rose 28.8% from last year to 11,801,027 contracts.

Daily volume Exchange-wide rose to a new high of 5,852,889 contracts on February 28. On the CBOT's electronic trading platform, total volume soared to a new monthly record of 38,078,026 contracts in February. In addition, electronic volume in CBOT Financial options rose to a new monthly high of 433,075 contracts.

The CBOT's Agricultural futures complex also set a record, with volume rising to 7,593,290 contracts in February. Within the complex, Wheat futures trade rose to a monthly high of 1,053,564 contracts, and Soybean Oil futures trade rose to a monthly high of 799,873 contracts.

Agricultural futures and options complex trade was up 12.5% from last year and 56.7% from January to 8,989,734 contracts.

Corn futures volume rose to a new daily record of 314,154 contracts on February 25.

Wheat futures volume rose to a new daily record of 117,004 contracts on February 22.

Soybean futures volume rose to a new daily record of 185,755 contracts on February 22.

Soybean Oil futures volume rose to a new daily record of 78,559 contracts on February 22.

Soybean Meal futures volume rose to a new daily record of 71,813 contracts on February 18.

Wheat futures open interest rose to a new record of 234,772 contracts on February 14.

Wheat futures volume rose 36.5% from last year and 71.9% from January to 1,053,564 contracts. Volume rose 16.7% YTD to 1,666,544 contracts.

Corn futures rose 13.3% from last year and 82.6% from January to 2,680,775 contracts.

Mini Corn futures rose 99.1% from January to 9,155 contracts.

Soybean futures rose 11% from last year and 49.1% from January to 2,085,783 contracts.

Mini Soybean futures rose 42.2% from last year and 90% from January to 48,815 contracts. Volume rose 23.4% YTD to 74,501 contracts.

Soybean Meal futures rose 11.8% from last year and 30.2% from January to 857,564 contracts. Volume rose 7.1% YTD to 1,516,266 contracts.

Soybean Oil futures rose 10.7% from last year and 68.4% from January to 799,873 contracts.

Wheat options rose 28.7% from last year and 8.8% from January to 161,372 contracts. Volume rose 13.1% YTD to 309,711 contracts.

Soybean options rose 42.9% from last year and 60.2% from January to 703,520 contracts. Volume rose 21.3% YTD to 1,142,731 contracts.

Soybean Meal options rose 29.4% from last year and 97.6% from January to 97,159 contracts.

Soybean Oil options rose 35.4% from January to 55,301 contracts.