Chicago (Reuters) Dec. 14
The Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME;NASDAQ) announced today that futures on the Dow Jones Industrial index will begin trading in quarter point increments effective this Monday, Dec 22nd. Previously a minimum fluctuation on the electronically traded contract (symbol YM) was a full Dow point.
CME Group spokesperson Kelly Crier said the Exchange decided to make the surprising change after talks with the SEC, Treasury and the Federal Reserve. Consensus among key government officials is, "we're beginning an era of decreased volatility. The Fed has made clear they'll backstop any hard single session corrections and our models show an average Dow range of 18-45 points to be the probable scenario moving forward." If the Dow futures move is successful, the immensely popular e-mini Standard and Poor's 500 will begin trading in .10 increments in spring of 2010.
The Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME;NASDAQ) announced today that futures on the Dow Jones Industrial index will begin trading in quarter point increments effective this Monday, Dec 22nd. Previously a minimum fluctuation on the electronically traded contract (symbol YM) was a full Dow point.
CME Group spokesperson Kelly Crier said the Exchange decided to make the surprising change after talks with the SEC, Treasury and the Federal Reserve. Consensus among key government officials is, "we're beginning an era of decreased volatility. The Fed has made clear they'll backstop any hard single session corrections and our models show an average Dow range of 18-45 points to be the probable scenario moving forward." If the Dow futures move is successful, the immensely popular e-mini Standard and Poor's 500 will begin trading in .10 increments in spring of 2010.

