CME Reduces Class A Share Requirement for Clearing Members
CHICAGO, Jan 31, 2007 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX News Network/ -- To reduce transaction costs for existing clearing members and attract new participants to its markets, Chicago Mercantile Exchange Holdings Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: CME) today announced it will reduce the requisite number of CME Class A Shares its clearing members must acquire and hold as part of their capital investment requirement. Effective February 1, 2007, new firms applying for clearing member status will be required to acquire 8,000 shares of CME Class A stock, down from the previous requirement of 15,000 shares.
As a result, approximately 197,800 shares will be released each month, substantially less than the average volume of CME stock traded in a single day. In the fourth quarter of 2006, CME shares traded an average of approximately 711,544 shares per day.
For existing CME clearing firms on or before February 1, 2007, the number of Class A shares that must be assigned to the clearing member shall be decreased incrementally by approximately 2,300 shares per month over a three- month period.
"This is the third year in which we have reduced the capital investment requirement for CME clearing member firms as part of our continuing efforts to lower their transaction costs and increase their capital efficiencies," said CME Executive Chairman Terry Duffy. "Each of our current clearing firms will benefit from the release of approximately $4 million in additional equity capital over time."
"By lowering the CME Class A share requirement, we unlock significant equity value for our existing clearing member firms, and reduce costs for new members, while making our diverse products and services even more accessible to global market participants," said CME Chief Executive Officer Craig Donohue. "This initiative underscores our commitment to serving market participants around the world and building value in CME."
Chicago Mercantile Exchange Holdings became the first publicly traded U.S. financial exchange on Dec. 6, 2002. The company was added to the S&P 500(R) Index on August 10, 2006, and the Russell 1000(R) Index on July 1, 2003. It is the parent company of Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. (http://www.cme.com ), the largest and most diverse financial exchange in the world. As an international marketplace, CME brings together buyers and sellers on its CME Globex electronic trading platform and on its trading floors. CME offers futures and options on futures primarily in interest rates, equities, foreign exchange and commodities.
The Globe Logo, Chicago Mercantile Exchange(R), CME(R), E-mini(R), Globex(R), Swapstream(R) and CME Auction Markets(TM) are trademarks of CME. Other trade names, service marks, trademarks and registered trademarks that are not proprietary to Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. are the property of their respective owners, and are used herein under license. Further information about CME and its products is available on the CME Web site at http://www.cme.com .
Statements in this news release that are not historical facts are forward- looking statements. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed or implied in any forward-looking statements. More detailed information about factors that may affect our performance may be found in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, which can be obtained at its Web site at www.sec.gov. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward- looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
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