If you’re thinking about trading futures and options, it’s important to understand the exchanges where such transactions take place. The Eurex Exchange — the shorter name for the European Futures and Options Market — is one of the largest derivatives markets in the world.
Here’s what you need to know about the Eurex.
Defining Eurex Exchange
What exactly is the Eurex definition? The Eurex Exchange facilitates the European-based derivatives market, handling digital trading volume and contract settlement for global traders in 700 markets across the world. Large volumes traded on the Eurex include common stock indexes and more complex securities, such as derivatives, which are securities that derive their price from their underlying assets.
Eurex is one of several global derivatives exchanges, including the Chicago Board Options Exchange.
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History of the Eurex
The Eurex Exchange was co-founded in 1988 by Deutsche Börse AG and the SIX Swiss Exchange and was billed as one of the largest and one of the first all-electronic trading exchanges. That partnership lasted until 2012, when Deutsche Börse AG bought out SIX Swiss and now stands as the sole owner of the Eurex.
Headquartered in Frankfurt, Germany, the exchange has nine offices spread across the globe, in Chicago, London, Paris, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Singapore, Leipzig, Eschborn, Zurich, and Frankfurt (headquarters). That makes it easier for the Eurex to trade in non-European bourses and thus gives the Eurex a thoroughly global presence.
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Understanding Eurex Exchange and What It Does
The Eurex definition is this: The Eurex Exchange is an international exchange that facilitates trading for European-based derivatives. The Eurex products include European stocks, bonds, and stock indexes. The Eurex also handles clearing (the timely transfer of funds) and contract settlements.
The Eurex Exchange network is totally electronic, and it’s widely considered one of the best in the world.
The Eurex’s Trading Technology and Management
Eurex launched as an all-digital trading exchange at a time when manual “open cry” trading still remained the primary way of doing business. At that time, buyers and sellers would gather in closed areas (called “trading pits” in Wall Street lingo) and shout trade orders to market makers, who would gather the trades and execute them on behalf of traders.
In strictly electronic trading, buyers and sellers execute options and futures contracts from thousands of miles away via a digital-based trading platform. That also provides increased liquidity for traders. Since Eurex is 100% automated, market investors have quick access to a wide array of investment products, making it easier to move in and out of volatile positions in fast-moving markets.
Rolled out in 2013, the Eurex’s trademark T7 trading platform handles all the exchange’s electronic derivative trading volume, connecting traders from 35 countries who execute about seven million futures and options trading contracts for each daily trading session.
That makes Eurex one of the most widely used derivatives trading platforms in the world for listed and over-the-counter futures and options trading.
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Eurex Exchange Products
Eurex offers a wide range of trading options, including various Euro-based debt instruments, common Euro-based stocks and stocks indices, along with its mainstay futures and options derivative trading products.
Here’s a list of the exchange’s most widely-traded investment vehicles.
• Stock derivatives, including more than 1,000 futures and approximately 900 options
• Interest rate derivatives, including fixed-income, money market, and interest rate swaps
• Equity index derivatives, including derivatives from 12 primary European index, such as EURO STOXX and MSCI
• Dividend-based derivatives, including singles stocks and indexes
• Volatility derivatives
• Exchange-traded fund derivatives
• Foreign currency (FX) derivatives
• Commodity-based derivatives
• Property/real estate derivatives
The exchange recently launched a platform for trading digital assets.
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The Takeaway
The Eurex is an important exchange that global derivatives traders use to execute their strategy. Individual investors can typically access the exchange through their brokers.
However, it’s not necessary to invest on the Eurex or trade derivatives in order to build a portfolio, especially for beginning investors. For instance, individuals could instead set up an investment account if they don’t already have one, and start exploring assets that could help them achieve their financial goals and make sense for their situation.
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