The Dubai Gold & Commodities Exchange today announced that its total volume for 2010 surpassed the one million contracts mark on July 13, 2010 the earliest it has exceeded this milestone in any year since inception.

Trading volume stood at 1,006,485 contracts on July 13, 2010 representing a total value of US $58 billion and a 48% increase on the YTD volume of 678,716 contracts achieved within the same period last year. Higher volumes in 2010 have been driven by significant growth across all product segments which include precious metals, currencies and energy.

Commenting on the milestone, Eric Hasham, CEO of DGCX said, Topping the one million contracts mark in just over six months is further evidence of the growing demand for both currency and commodity derivatives this year. It is also a sign of the Exchange's growing profile as a leading venue for hedging and investing. Encouraged by the performance of the first six months, we are looking forward to a strong end of year.

The new milestone follows an all-time monthly high of 192,138 contracts achieved by DGCX in June 2010, surpassing the previous peak reached in November 2009.

Established in 2005, DGCX is the region's first derivatives exchange and the only one allowing participants to clear and settle transactions within the region.

The Exchange has played a pioneering role in developing the regional market for derivatives. DGCX is a Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (Dubai Government) initiative in partnership with Financial Technologies (India) Limited and Multi Commodity Exchange of India Limited (MCX). It is an electronic commodity and currency derivatives exchange with 230 members from across the globe, offering futures and options contracts covering the precious metals, energy and currency sectors.

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