Euronext extends trading hours for agricultural commodities futures

PARIS: Euronext will introduce a two-hour evening trading session for its milling wheat, rapeseed, and maize futures contracts starting on February 2, the exchange said on Friday.

The move confirms a Reuters report in September that said Euronext was considering lengthening trading hours for its agricultural commodities futures, notably by pushing back the evening close to attract more US-based investors. Its commodities business is led by wheat futures, which have become a global price benchmark alongside CME Group’s Chicago grain derivatives.

Current trading hours are 10:45 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Central European Time (0945-1730 GMT). An additional session will be added from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. CET (1730-1930 GMT), the exchange said in a statement. “The extension of trading hours for commodity futures is designed to further support clients’ trading activity by offering more flexibility beyond the regular trading session,” Euronext said in the statement.

The additional trading session will be available for all expiries, except for the front one during the last three days before expiration. The daily settlement price will continue to be set at 6:30 p.m. CET, Euronext said.

Trades placed during the additional session will be included in the same trading day’s open interest and volume, and will be marked to market using the 6:30 p.m. CET settlement price, it added.