Commodities Now: London, 24 February 2011

ICE Futures Europe Sets Daily Volume and Brent Crude Futures Records: IntercontinentalExchange, a leading operator of global regulated futures exchanges, clearing houses and over-the-counter (OTC) markets, announced that ICE Futures Europe set an exchange-wide daily volume record of 1,626,277 contracts on 23 February. The new record surpassed by more than 9% the previous daily record of 1,429,384 contracts, which was established on 28 January 2011.

The exchange also established a daily volume record for the benchmark Brent Crude futures contract. Volume in Brent Crude futures was 805,232 contracts, more than 10% higher than the previous record of 726,578 contracts, which was set on 12 January 2011.

Introduced in 1988, the ICE Brent Crude futures contract is the leading benchmark for pricing the world's crude oil, including grades in Africa, the Middle East and Asia. ICE Futures Europe has also listed the North American benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures contract since 2006. Both light sweet crude contracts have established daily volume records in 2011. ICE Futures Europe also offers the world's leading refined product benchmark, the ICE Gasoil futures contract.

Ends --