Derivatives trading on the rise

structured

some 9.5 million futures and five million options now being traded each month on Eurex

Increased sales of structured products providing capital guarantees are speeding up the growth of the equity derivative market throughout Europe. Five years after Eurostoxx 50 futures and options were made available on Eurex, the market for euro-denominated derivatives, an average of 9.5 million futures and five million options are being traded each month. In June 1998, when they launched, only 6,600 futures contracts and 5,200 options changed hands. Robert Benson, managing director of Arete Consulting, expects equity derivative growth to be sustained by sales of structured products tha...