TOCOM September 2012 Volume Up 55.4% with 120,650 Contracts per Day

TOKYO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Tokyo Commodity Exchange (TOCOM) announced today that September 2012 trading volume averaged 120,650 contracts per day, up 55.4% from August 2012.

“TOCOM to Amend Contract Specs of Gold Mini and Platinum Mini”

Average daily volume increased for all TOCOM contracts on a month-over-month basis: Trading in Gold, the most active product at TOCOM, was up 67.8% to 58,241 contracts. The Gold Mini was up 67.4% to 10,175 contracts and Platinum was up 56.4% to 19,026 contracts.

Recent announcements of additional stimulus plans by the central banks of Japan and the United States are estimated to have improved market sentiment. The Federal Reserve Bank announced a third quantitative easing in its FOMC statement of September 13. The Bank of Japan revealed new monetary easing plans on September 19.

Open interest at the end of July for all listed contracts totaled 321,803, a decrease of 6,877 (2.09%) from the prior month.

TOCOM – Trading Volume Breakdown (Main products)
	Monthly Trading Volume		Average Daily Volume
Contract	Sept. ’12	August ‘12	Sept. '12	August ‘12	month-to-month change	year-to-year change
Gold	1,106,584	798,314	58,241	34,709	67.8%	-39.7%
Gold Mini	193,322	139,834	10,175	6,080	67.4%	-54.5%
Silver	16,752	10,323	882	449	96.4%	-25.6%
Platinum	361,503	279,762	19,026	12,164	56.4%	37.4%
Platinum Mini	26,853	20,369	1,413	886	59.6%	16.1%
Crude Oil	105,570	106,298	5,556	4,622	20.2%	10.7%
Gasoline	196,410	192,028	10,337	8,349	23.8%	26.6%
Kerosene	54,317	57,792	2,859	2,513	13.8%	-2.2%
Gas Oil	853	169,906	45	33	35.2%	3.1%
Rubber	219,216	1,785,416	11,538	7,387	56.2%	42.7%
Total	2,292,357	2,188,114	120,650	77,627	55.4%	-24.8%

The whole summary of September 2012 activities at TOCOM including news items such as “TOCOM to Amend Contract Specs of Gold Mini and Platinum Mini” and “TOCOM Files Application to Launch Agricultural and Sugar Market” is available online.

About Tokyo Commodity Exchange (TOCOM)

Tokyo Commodity Exchange, Inc. (TOCOM) is Japan's largest commodity futures exchange with a trading volume of 34.5 million contracts, representing nearly 91.7% market share, in 2011, and one of the most prominent exchanges in Asia. Futures and Options contracts on a variety of industrial products such as gold, platinum (precious metals market), crude oil, gasoline, kerosene gas oil (oil market), RSS3 (rubber market) are traded electronically. In February 2013, TOCOM plans to launch an agricultural market listing soybeans, azuki (red bean), corn and raw sugar. TOCOM was established in 1984 as a result of a merger between Tokyo Textile Exchange, Tokyo Rubber Exchange and Tokyo Gold Exchange.

TOCOM's recent achievements include launching a new trading platform based on the Nasdaq OMX technology and extending the night session until 4:00 JST to overlap US and European business times. www.tocom.or.jp/