Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. (NYSE:ICE), the operator of global exchanges and clearing houses and provider of data and listings services, has just announced that ICE’s Interest Rate complex achieved record daily volume of 7.8 million futures and options contracts on May 29, 2018 surpassing the previous record of 6.2 million contracts set on May 6, 2010. Year to date volume in ICE’s interest rate complex is up 13% and open interest is up 5% year over year.
The ICE Euribor futures contract also set a new record volume on May 29 of 4.2 million contracts. The previous volume record for Euribor futures was 3.2 million contracts set on March 9, 2017. In addition, trading across ICE’s multi currency, multi benchmark short term interest rate futures (STIRs) franchise achieved a new volume record of 6.1 million contracts.
Trading in ICE’s interest rate market has increased amid ongoing political uncertainty in Europe coupled with changes to central bank monetary policy. During periods of increased volatility, market participants turn to the most transparent and liquid markets in order to manage their exposure to economic and political risk.
On June 1, ICE plans to add Three Month SONIA futures to its interest rate complex to provide more choice to customers for alternative reference rates.