Singapore exchange reports new high for derivatives in 2013

Singapore Exchange reported new high for derivatives in 2013, with total volume and daily average volume increased 40 percent to 112 million and 459,362 contracts respectively, the bourse said Monday. In December, derivatives daily average volume increased 6 percent on year to 426,582 contracts. Derivatives total volume grew 12 percent to 8.9 million contracts. But the stock market capitalization declined 0.6 percent to 940 billion Singapore dollars (741.3 billion U.S. dollars) over the 12 months to the end of last December. On a total return basis, including dividends, the Straits Times Index was up 3.26 percent. The bourse said there were 27 IPOs in 2013, slightly up from 26 IPOs the year before. The total equity fund-raising grew 40 percent to 6.3 billion Singapore dollars (4.97 billion U.S. dollars). There were 465 new bonds listed in 2013, up from 390 new bonds in 2012. The total bond fund-raising decreased 4 percent to 176 billion Singapore dollars (138.8 billion U.S. dollars). Among the derivatives, trading in China A50 and India Nifty futures reached a record year volume of 21 million and 16 million contracts, respectively. Meanwhile, volume of Nikkei 225 futures trading also hit a record year high of 39 million contracts.