CHICAGO, IL–(EMWNews – July 23, 2008) – The Options Clearing Corporation (OCC) reported

that the total number of options contracts traded so far this year

surpassed 2 billion contracts yesterday. This marks the third consecutive

year that trading volume has achieved this level.

Total options volume hit 2 billion contracts for the first time on December

22, 2006 and then again on September 25, 2007. While it took 183 trading

days to reach this milestone in 2007, it only took 140 trading days for 2

billion contracts to change hands this year.

“During volatile times more investors are embracing the hedging power of

options,” said Michael E. Cahill, OCC President and Chief Operating

Officer. “The spectacular increases in trading volume over the past five

years are also a result of the innovative products and services the U.S.

options exchanges have brought to the marketplace.”

Year-to-date average daily options volume at OCC is 14.3 million contracts,

about 3 million contracts per day better than the daily average in 2007,

which was a record trading year for the industry.

OCC Background

OCC, founded in 1973, is the world’s largest derivatives clearing

organization and was the first clearinghouse to receive a ‘AAA’ credit

rating from Standard & Poor’s Corporation. Operating under the jurisdiction

of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading

Commission, OCC provides clearing and settlement services for the American

Stock Exchange, Boston Options Exchange, Chicago Board Options Exchange,

CBOE Futures Exchange, International Securities Exchange, NASDAQ Options

Market, NYSE Arca, OneChicago, Philadelphia Stock Exchange and Philadelphia

Board of Trade. More information about OCC is available through its Web

site at www.optionsclearing.com.