CME Group, which runs the world’s largest derivatives marketplace, announced today that FX contract volumes (mainly Eurodollar futures contracts) in its system were up by 25% in May from the previous month, although down by 3% as compared to May 2011.
This is the first indication that May saw a return to more normal levels of FX trading, following a very slow six month period which began late last year. It is also the first independent confirmation of our prediction, made we launched our new LeapRate Retail FX Volume Index late last month, that May volumes would be much-improved, due mainly to higher volatility levels in the markets as the Greece-Euro crisis unfolded.
We should learn more when Forex ECNs such as ICAP, Hotspot FX, Thomson Reuters and FXall release April numbers in the coming days and weeks. Stay tuned…
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