FUTURES Share contracts above Barclays

Press, 26 February 1987, Page 27

FUTURES Share contracts above Barclays

Share-index futures rose sharply yesterday and at the close were at a premium of 0.41 per cent to the Barclay’s index.

The futures index had been at a discount to the physical index for some time.

In heavy trading, March share futures finished on their high for the day of 3200, which was 130 points up on the Tuesday close.

June share futures closed also on their high at 3225 compared with 2960 in their last trade ]act wppV All told, a record 970 lots

were traded in the Barclays futures contract, surpassing the previous record of 916 lots, on January 30. The contract began trading on January 5.

Mr Peter Dumbleton, an analyst with Mair Astley Futures, said the rise in share futures was in response to the firm sharemarket yesterday, particularly in leading issues including Brierley, Chase, and Fletcher.

Interest rate futures rose sharply, reflecting dips in physical interest rates.

March Government stock futures were 27 points firmer at 8214 at the close, April contracts were unchanged, and June contracts were 20 points firmer. Mr Dumbleton said Gov-

ernment stock futures finished on their highs. Fiveyear Government stock finished slightly below 18 per cent in yields on the physical market. Ninety-day bank-accepted bill futures also finished on their highs The wool futures market was fairly quiet, with a slight weakening in prices, U.S. dollar futures were a little more lively, with 80 trades in the March contract. SUS CONTRACTS Mth Open H/L Last Vol Mar 1.8200 8215/180 8180 58 Apr 1.8440 8440/440 8840 1 Contracts traded: 59. Open positions at Feb 24: Mar 195, Apr 2, May 6, Jun 1, total 204 (down 1). COMMERCIAL BILLS Mth Open H/L Last Vol Mar 7441 441/441 441 33 Contracts traded: 33. Open positions at Feb 24: Mar 313, Jun 123, Sep 43, Dec 40, Mar 39, Jun 10, total 568 (same). GOVERNMENT STOCK Mth Open H/L Last Vol Mar 8180 215/180 214 612 Apr 8215 215/215 215 10 Jun 8243 260/235 260 50 Contracts traded: 672. Open positions at Feb 24: Mar 2448, Apr 54, Jun 939, total 3441

Contracts traded: 33. Open positions at Feb 24: Mar 113, May 291, Aug 194, Oct 179, Dec 127, Jan 220, Mar 199, May 105, Aug 10, total 1438 (down

27). WHEAT Contracts traded: nil. Open positions at Feb 24: Mar 1, May 8, total 9 (same). 90-DAY BANK BILLS Mth Open H/L Last Vol Mar 7485 520/480 520 96 Apr 7585 640/585 640 73 May 7750 750/740 740 9 Jun 7820 825/820 825 2 Contracts traded: 180. Open positions at Feb 24: Mar 590, Apr 3, May 10, Jun 133, Sep 46, Dec 46, Mar 41, Jun 40, Sep 40, Dec 40, total 989 (down 14). SYDNEY ALL-ORDS Mth Open H/L Last Vol Mar 1563 1572/44 1545 2386 Jan 1559 1560/46 1543 217 Contracts traded: 2603. Open positions at Feb 24: total (14,159). BARCLAY’S SHARE INDEX Mth Open H/L Last Vol Mar 3070 200/070 200 959 Jun 3105 225/105 225 11

Mth Mar Apr May Jun

Contracts traded: 970. Open positions at Feb 24: Mar 1329, Jun 52, total 1381 (up 175).

(up 64). WOOL Mth Open H/L Last Vol Mar 588 588/588 588 3 May 620 620/617 617 9 Oct 655 655/650 650 8 Dec 650 650/650 650 3 Jan 650 650/650 650 8 Mar 655 655/655 655 1 May 665 665/665 665 1