IntercontinentalExchange (NYSE: ICE), a leading operator of global regulated futures exchanges, clearing houses and over-the-counter (OTC) markets, announced today that the ICE U.K. National Balancing Point (NBP) Natural Gas Futures contract achieved a daily volume record of 68,495 (equivalent to 2 billion therms) on February 22, 2012, surpassing the previous record of 68,260 contracts on August 30, 2011.
The ICE U.K. NBP Natural Gas Futures contract is the leading benchmark for U.K. natural gas, with the contract seeing an increase in volumes and open interest during the last twelve months. Total trading volumes were over 6 million in 2011, an increase of 44% on 2010.
Open interest is at record levels, increasing from 303,012 at the start of February to a high of 348,218 contracts on February 20, 2012. Average daily volume for ICE U.K. NBP Natural Gas Futures is 43,703 lots month to date in February 2012.
The ICE UK NBP Natural Gas Options contract also set an open interest record of 116,920 lots on February 22, 2012.
In addition to U.K. NBP Futures and Options, ICE Futures Europe also lists Dutch TTF Natural Gas Futures and Options and German NetConnect Germany (NCG) and GASPOOL Futures contracts.
