OREANDA-NEWS. On 06 August 2008 was announced, that a new record was set on FORTS, RTS derivatives section. During the daily trading session the trading volume in the RTS Index futures contract reached 578,518 contracts. The previous record trading volume in this futures contract was reported on January 17th, 2008 when the trading volume in this instrument hit 576,929 contracts.

This record shows that the RTS Index futures is the most popular instrument for investment portfolio hedging on the falling market. Notwithstanding the general stock market decline the participants’ great interest remains attached to this contract, therefore, forming high liquidity.

FORTS, the derivatives market of RTS, is a leading trading venue for futures and options in Russia. Trading on FORTS started in September 2001. At present FORTS has the widest range of instruments in Russia. These are 64 contracts (46 futures and 18 options) on shares of Russian companies, bonds, short-term interest rates, currency, RTS Index, oil, silver, gas, oil, sugar and gold.

Trading volume on FORTS in 2007 grew threefold and reached 297.41 bln dollars or 144.9 million contracts. Compared with 2006 the number of trades increased more than twofold and reached 11.7mln. Total open interest at the end of the year equalled 14.7 bln  roubles in cash or 3.2 million contracts. FORTS also saw a record day’s trading in 2007 when the value of all contracts traded reached 5.2 bln dollars on December 13th, 2007.