CME Group announced an unprecedented daily record for trading in its metals pool on October 9, with 2,148,990 contracts traded, an increase of 24% on the previous record set in April 2024.
The stock exchange explained that the rise was driven by increased activity in the gold and silver markets as investors sought to hedge against geopolitical and macroeconomic uncertainty.
The exchange’s newly launched 1oz gold futures contract also reached record volumes, reflecting growing retail participation.
“As geopolitical and macroeconomic shifts create uncertainty, clients from around the world are turning to our metals futures and options in record numbers,” said Gene Hennig, CME Group Managing Director and Global Head of Metals.
Additional single-day records included 1,877,878 metal futures contracts, 741,822 micro gold futures contracts, 132,584 micro silver futures contracts, and 77,946 micro gold futures contracts per ounce. The Chicago Mercantile Exchange also saw record open interest in Micro Silver and Gold Weekly options.
The CME Group offers reference products for both precious and industrial metals, providing global investors with tools to manage exposure and price risk.