SGX sees 46% MoM jump in Forex volumes in August 2015

Singapore Exchange Limited (SGX:S68) has earlier today reported its operating metrics for August 2015, with the results pointing to a continued growth trend we have already witnessed in June 2015 and July 2015.

Forex futures volumes surged in annual and monthly terms in August 2015, reflecting the rise in volatility towards the end of last month. These volumes reached 515,567 contracts last month. As usual, the growth was driven by solid trading in SGX INR/USD futures, whose volume was up 43% from July, hitting a new peak of 469,633 contracts.

Below is the full data.

Securities

• Total turnover was $28.1 billion, up 16% month on month and 34% year on year, despite fewer trading days in August 2015 as compared to July 2015 and August 2014 (Number of trading days in August 2015: 19, July 2015: 22 & August 2014: 21).
• Daily average traded value was $1.5 billion, up 35% month on month and 49% year on year.
• ETF trading was $307 million, up 20% month on month and 40% year on year.
• Trading of STI stocks represented 74% of total trading value, compared to 66% in July 2015 and 57% in August 2014.
• There were 23 new bonds listed in August, raising $7.4 billion, with foreign issuers accounting for 74% of the bond listings.
• There were 2 new listings in August on Catalist, raising $40 million, bringing the total number of listed companies on Catalist to 164 and total market capitalisation of $8.9 billion. Year to date, $168 million has been raised from new listings on Catalist.
• Total market capitalisation value of 771 listed companies stood at $899 billion for August 2015.

Derivatives

• Derivatives volume of 17.0 million contracts was down 21% month on month, up 82% year on year.
• Volume of Equity index futures was 15.3 million contracts, down 23% from July, up 76% year on year.
• FTSE China A50 Index futures remained the most active contract with volume of 8.4 million, down 40% month on month, up 127% year on year.
• FX futures volume surged to 515,567 contracts from 51,721 contracts a year earlier. Volume was 46% higher than in July 2015.
• Underpinning this strong growth was the increase in SGX INR/USD futures, with volume up 43% from July at a new peak of 469,633 contracts. This compared with 48,570 contracts a year earlier.
• Volume of cleared OTC SGD Interest Rate Swaps was $6.5 billion, down 54% month on month, up 54% year on year.

Commodities

• SGX commodities derivatives volume fell 22% month on month but increased 285% over the year to 535,438 contracts.
• Iron ore derivatives volume rose 266% year on year to 652,981 contracts, 25% lower compared to last month.
• Volume of freight derivatives fell 10% month on month to 28,164 contracts; in contrast, only 15 such contracts were recorded a year earlier.
• Volume of SICOM rubber futures, the world’s price benchmark for physical rubber, was up 9% month on month and 95% year on year at 60,047 contracts.

To view the official announcement by SGX on its August 2015 metrics, click here.