Trading volumes see a continuous increase with the total trading turnover exceeding USD 250 million and a total of 6,461 contracts traded
Manama, Bahrain - 27th February, 2012: The Bahrain Financial Exchange (BFX), the first multi-asset exchange in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, proudly announces the completion of three months of successful trading. The BFX achieved a major milestone of total trading turnover surpassing the USD 250 million mark , with the total volume increasing to 6,461 contracts.
As on the 24th of February 2012, the total single-side trading turnover on the BFX Futures was USD 250.70 million with a total volume of 6,461 contracts (single side) traded since the launch of the BFX Futures on the 23rd of November, 2011. During this period, the largest traded BFX Futures contract in terms of volume was the BFX EURO USD Futures (3,026 contracts with a turnover of USD 99 million). In terms of the trading turnover, the BFX Gold Futures was the highest (2,702 contracts with a turnover of USD 146.48 million). The volume on the BFX Natural Gas Futures was 733 contracts with a trading turnover of USD 5.20 million. The highest daily trading turnover till date was USD 8.12 million and the highest daily volume was 196 contracts (both on the 22nd of February, 2012).
Commenting on the occasion, Mr. Arshad Khan, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the BFX and the BFX Clearing and Depository Corporation (BCDC), said: "We are pleased with the trading turnover for the first quarter. We see the results as a confirmation to the Exchange's sound approach in attracting investors in the region to trade in our markets. Our immediate plan is to broaden our trading portfolio by launching new products that include the BFX Dow Jones SAFE India Index Futures. In Parallel, we are focusing on increasing the membership base of the Exchange which will further widen the investor base of our market."
The BFX launched its conventional segment with the commencement of Futures trading on Gold, Natural Gas and the Euro - US dollar currency pair on the 23rd of November, 2011. Since the launch date, the weekly trading turnover has increased to over USD 35.03 million (for the week ended on the 24th of February, 2012) from USD 8.27 million (for the week ended on the 2nd of December, 2011) - an increase of 323.58%. The weekly trading volume also increased from 231 contracts to over 901 contracts during the same period - an increase of over 290%.
The BFX markets provide hedgers and cash market participants - including Jewellers, manufacturers, fabricators, service providers, traders, importers, exporters, etc. - an opportunity to mitigate risk against volatile asset prices. The uncertainty in the Eurozone economies, expectations of higher demand for bullion as a hedge against inflation and the increasing global cash liquidity increased the asset price volatility.
The BFX Futures provide an ideal electronic trading platform for market participants to enter and exit hedge positions. Gold prices increased to over USD 1787 per troy ounce on the 23rd of February, 2012 from a low of USD 1523 per troy ounce (2nd of December, 2011). The EURUSD currency has also become volatile due to the credit crisis in the Eurozone region. The spot EURUSD increased from 1.2624 on the 13th of January 2012 to over 1.3487 on the 24th of February 2012. Global Natural Gas Futures prices decreased to a ten-year low of USD 2.231 per million British thermal units (mmBtu) on the 23rd of January, 2012 before rebounding to over USD 2.844 per mmBtu on the 30th of January 2012, and subsequently decreasing to USD 2.550 per mmBtu on the 24th of February 2012. The Middle-East has the world's largest reserves of Natural Gas estimated at 75.80 trillion cubic metres (40% of the global reserves). The global Natural Gas production and consumption is also growing at an increasing pace.
While all these factors have increased the asset price volatility, the BFX Futures provide hedgers with the tool to mitigate the price risk, thereby protecting and possibly increasing their operating profit margins. Investors can also diversify their portfolio with alternate asset classes such as commodities and currencies.
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About Bahrain Financial Exchange (BFX):
The Bahrain Financial Exchange (BFX) is a pioneering international financial exchange based in the Kingdom of Bahrain and internationally accessible to trade cash, derivatives, structured products and Shariah-compliant financial instruments. The BFX has set up the BFX Clearing and Depository Corporation (BCDC) to clear and settle the financial instruments traded by the members of the BFX. The BFX and the BCDC are licensed and regulated by the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB).
The Exchange is a wholly owned initiative of Financial Technologies Group (FT Group), which currently owns one of the world's largest networks of 10 exchanges connecting fast‐growing economies of Africa, Middle East, India and South East Asia.
Bait Al Bursa is an Islamic finance division of the BFX, exclusively offering electronic exchange traded Islamic financial instruments. Bait Al Bursa signifies the 'Home of Exchanges', and represents the BFX's vision of providing a single venue for all the exchange traded business in the Islamic finance sector.
The BFX Training Institute (BFX-TI) is an internationally accredited training institute operating under the BFX providing world class conventional and Islamic financial training and development courses.
The BFX is a member of the International Islamic Financial Market (IIFM) and the Accounting and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI).
www.bfx.bh
For BFX media enquiries, please contact:
Ghizlane Rahali
Senior Marketing and PR Manager
Bahrain Financial Exchange
Phone: +973 1651 1511
Mobile: +973 39991878
e-mail: ghizlane.rahali@bfx.bh
© Press Release 2012
