China Jan Commodities Futures Trading Volume Up 42% On Year

SHANGHAI--China's January commodities futures trading volume rose 42% on year to 40.75 million lots, China Futures Association data showed Thursday.

Dalian Commodity Exchange, which trades soybean, soymeal, soyoil and corn futures, accounted for more than half of the total turnover, with a volume of 21.30 million lots, up 6.36% on year.

Corn futures were the most actively traded product on the Dalian Commodity Exchange in January, with trading volume nearly tripling on year to 15.35 million lots. However, soybean, soymeal and soyoil futures had lower trading volumes compared to January 2006.

One lot is equivalent to 10 metric tons.

Trading volume on the Shanghai Futures Exchange, where copper, aluminum, natural rubber and fuel oil futures are traded, more than doubled on year to 12.53 million lots.

One lot equals five tons on the SHFE, except for fuel oil futures, where one lot equals 10 tons.

Turnover for natural rubber more than quadrupled to 8.23 million lots, making it the most actively traded product on the SHFE.

On the Zhengzhou Commodity Exchange, trading volume more than doubled on year to 6.93 million lots, thanks to the newly launched purified terephthalic acid, or PTA, futures, besides cotton, white sugar, wheat futures.

One lot equals 10 tons on the Zhengzhou Commodity Exchange, except for cotton futures, where one lot is equivalent to five tons.