USD/RUB FX futures open interest exceeds USD 2.5 billion

On January 23, 2012 by 6.45 pm MSK open interest volume on the USD/RUB FX futures contract on FORTS hit USD 2, 579, 527, 480 RUB 80, 707, 997, 856) or 2, 558, 048 contracts, a trading record since the launch of trading in this contract.

Total open interest volume in the FORTS money section amounted to USD3.6 billion.

"Volatility levels in the currency pairs remain high. Implied volatility for the ATM strike of the USD/RUB FX options equals 12% per annum.  As a result, we see a constant growth of open interest in the FX contracts", said Evgeny Serdyukov, Managing Director of the MICEX-RTS Derivatives market.

In addition, a record open interest was fixed for the MICEX Index derivatives. By the end of the main trading session, market participants opened 15,496 positions in the MICEX Index futures and 5,800 positions in the option on the MICEX Index futures.

Trading in the MICEX Index derivatives was launched on FORTS on September 30, 2011. The launch was the first joint project between MICEX and RTS stock exchanges. 

"A systematic growth of open interest in contracts with ruble-denominated MICEX Index as an underlying asset demonstrates a real demand for this type of products among not only active traders and arbitrageurs but also among all categories of market participants", commented Evgeny Serdyukov. "Exactly medium and long-term positions opened by hedgers, local investors, foreign brokers and their clients can contribute to enhancing trading activity in the contracts".

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