KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, U.S. — Kansas City Board of Trade (KCBT) volume traded in January topped 500,000 contracts for the first time ever in the calendar month of January, resulting in new volume records in the hard red winter wheat futures contract and the exchange as a whole, the KCBT announced on Feb. 1.

A total of 505,778 contracts were traded in January, breaking the previous January exchange volume record of 372,393 contracts set in 2006 by 35.8%. Trading volume posted a gain of 77.1% compared to January 2010 and 10.1% compared to December 2010. Total exchange open interest gained 50.9% compared to the end of January 2010 and 1.5% compared to the end of December 2010.


HRW wheat futures also broke the previous January volume record. A total of 485,591 contracts were traded in January, exceeding the previous record of 337,641 contracts set in 2006 by 43.8%. This month's trading volume exceeded January 2010 volume by 73.5% and December 2010 by 10.9%. Open interest at the end of January posted a gain of 42.9 compared to January 2010.

HRW wheat options trading volume increased 257.2% in January compared to January 2010. Open interest increased 139.4% compared to January 2010 and 35.2% compared to December 2010.