CME Group Stock Price, News & Analysis

CME Group announced that Henry Hub Natural Gas options achieved a record single-day volume of 561,379 contracts on November 21, surpassing the previous record of 506,500 contracts from November 2018. A record 395,952 contracts were traded electronically, with over half through CME Direct. The total Natural Gas futures and options volume reached 1,721,017 contracts, while futures volume hit a yearly high of 1,007,308 contracts. The record trading activity comes as the U.S. enters winter season with falling production, creating price volatility in natural gas markets.

CME Group announced record performance in its Adjusted Interest Rate (AIR) Total Return futures, reaching 710,358 contracts in open interest ($224 billion notional) on November 20. The average daily volume stands at 11,600 contracts for 2024, marking a 152% increase year-over-year. Starting December 9, CME will introduce additional monthly expirations for AIR S&P 500 Total Return futures based on the Effective Federal Funds Rate. The AIR Total Return futures are available across major global indices including S&P 500, Nasdaq-100, Russell 1000, Russell 2000, Dow Jones Industrial Average, and FTSE 100.

CME Group and the LPGA have extended their partnership through 2027, featuring an enhanced $11 million total purse for the CME Group Tour Championship. The 2024 winner will receive a historic $4 million prize, the largest single prize in women's golf history, with the runner-up earning $1 million.

The extension builds on CME Group's title sponsorship of the LPGA Tour's season-ending tournament, which began in 2011. The partnership includes the Race to the CME Globe, a season-long points competition where LPGA members compete for entry into the championship. CME Group also supports St. Jude Children's Research Hospital through their Score 1 campaign, having donated $580,000 in 2024 and over $4.5 million since 2018.

CME Group announced the launch of Mortgage Rate futures in January 2025, pending regulatory review. These cash-settled contracts will be based on the 30-Year Fixed Rate Conforming Optimal Blue Mortgage Market Index (OBMMI), tracking real-time rate lock data from over one-third of U.S. residential mortgage originations. The contracts will trade on CME Globex, be cleared by CME Clearing, and offer margin offsets against U.S. Treasury futures. The new product aims to provide market participants with a tool for managing risk across mortgage pipelines, servicing rights, and securities.

CME Group announced key leadership changes, including the extension of Chairman and CEO Terry Duffy's contract through December 31, 2026. Lynne Fitzpatrick has been promoted to President and Chief Financial Officer, while Chief Operating Officer Julie Holzrichter will step down to serve as an advisor. Suzanne Sprague will succeed Holzrichter as Chief Operating Officer and Global Head of Clearing. Holzrichter, with over 30 years of service, played a important role in the company's transition from open outcry to electronic trading and led operational integrations of major mergers.

CME Group announced the winners of its 21st annual University Trading Challenge, with Indiana University securing first place. The competition saw record participation with nearly 570 teams from 180 universities across 24 countries. Teams traded various futures contracts using CQG's simulated trading platform with access to Dow Jones newsfeeds. The top five included teams from Mexico, France, and Italy. Students received hands-on experience trading agriculture, energy, metals, equity indices, interest rates, and forex futures. Winners will receive cash prizes and all participants are invited to an exclusive market education event on December 9.

CME Group, the world's leading derivatives marketplace, has announced a fourth-quarter dividend of $1.15 per share. The dividend will be payable on December 27, 2024, to shareholders of record as of December 9, 2024. CME Group operates as a comprehensive trading platform offering futures, options, cash, and OTC markets through its CME Globex platform, BrokerTec for fixed income, and EBS for foreign exchange trading. The company also provides central counterparty clearing services through CME Clearing.

Farmer sentiment showed a significant improvement in October 2024, with the Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer rising 27 points to 115. The Future Expectations Index jumped 30 points to 124, while the Current Conditions Index improved to 95. The Farm Financial Performance Index increased by 22 points to 90, nearly matching last year's level. Fewer farmers (53% vs. 73% in September) anticipate challenging times for U.S. agriculture in the coming year. However, over half of surveyed producers reported worse farm financial conditions compared to the previous year. The survey revealed reduced concerns about interest rates and improved expectations for farmland values, with the Short-Term Farmland Value Expectations Index rising 25 points to 120.

CME Group reported its October 2024 market statistics with average daily volume (ADV) reaching 24.3 million contracts, marking the second-highest October volume ever. The company achieved record October ADV across multiple sectors: Interest Rate (12.5M contracts), Energy (2.7M contracts), Agricultural (1.8M contracts), and Metals (647K contracts). Notable increases include Energy ADV up 16%, Agricultural ADV up 23%, and significant growth in micro products, with Micro Bitcoin futures rising 332% to 50,000 contracts. BrokerTec U.S. Repo ADNV increased 11% to $316.7 billion, while EBS Spot FX ADNV grew 15% to $58.3 billion.