Dubai gold exchange volumes cross $1 trillion as gold price decline continues

The Dubai Gold and Commodities Exchange (DGCX) achieved a significant growth milestone in April when its cumulative trading volumes since inception crossed $1 trillion in value. Since its launch in 2005, the Exchange has traded 24.5 million contracts, valued at $1.025 trillion.

According to a media statement issued this morning by the DGCX, the major milestone, achieved in its eighth year since inception, comes on the back of a substantial year-on-year volumes growth of 139 per cent in April. Volumes in April totalled 1,336,942 contracts, valued at $48.73 billion.

The Dubai-based exchange noted that precious metals contracts displayed strong performances in the month of April, with both Gold and Silver futures registering a year-on-year growth of 24 per cent.

There has been extraordinary interest in precious metals, most notably gold and silver, as their prices seem to have fallen off a cliff in the past few weeks.

Spot gold was trading at $1,429 per ounce at 12.30pm UAE time (8.30am GMT) on Monday despite the huge physical support that bullion is currently enjoying. Read: Gold price falls to $1,420/oz: Dubai sees massive surge in bullion demand.

“We are delighted that our total traded value has crossed $1 trillion since inception, a milestone which represents DGCX’s rapid growth as a derivatives exchange since its launch in 2005,” said Gary Anderson, CEO, DGCX.

According to the DGCX, currency volumes in April saw a rise of 153 per cent from last year, led by one of the exchange’s flagship contracts, Indian rupee futures. With a year-on-year increase of 145 per cent, Indian rupee futures registered a total monthly volume of 1,223,960 contracts. Euro futures also saw a strong performance with a 325 per cent increase from last year.

Meanwhile, the exchange’s recently launched Mini Indian Rupee futures, traded 44,161 contracts in its first full month of trading. The mini contract, which is one-tenth the size of the main DGCX Indian Rupee Futures contract, provides a cost-effective hedging and arbitraging tool for retail remitters, SMEs and investors. The first of its kind to be introduced in the region and outside of India, the contract began trading on March 28, 2013.

“We are encouraged by the sustained high growth we have had in 2013, which provides us a strong foundation for achieving our strategic goals this year. In particular, the robust performance of DGCX’s newest contract, the Mini-Indian Rupee futures, in its first month, is a testament to the Exchange’s ability to provide market participants with innovative contracts that meet their investment and hedging needs within a highly supportive trading and clearing environment,” said Anderson.

 

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