CHICAGO — The CME Group said today it will transition open outcry trading of hard red winter wheat futures and options at the Kansas City Board of Trade to its Chicago trading floor beginning July 1, pending Commodity Futures Trading Commission approval.
K.C.B.T. wheat futures and options will continue to trade electronically on CME Globex and be listed by and subject to the rules of the K.C.B.T., the CME Group said.
The last day of open outcry trading in Kansas City will be June 28, the CME Group said, although an electronic trading center will continue to operate in the former K.C.B.T. floor space until Sept. 30 to provide Kansas City-based traders a place to execute trades on CME Globex.
The transition will accelerate efficiencies and trading opportunities for traders of both Kansas City hard red winter wheat and Chicago’s soft red winter wheat, the CME Group said.
“By moving Kansas City wheat to the Chicago floor later this year, we will make it as efficient as possible for our customers to trade both products and the spread between the two,” Bryan Durkin, CME Group chief operating officer, said.
K.C.B.T. clearing services will be integrated into CME Clearing beginning April 15, also pending C.F.T.C. approval. The clearing integration will provide cross-margining and other capital efficiencies for market participants, the CME Group said.
The CME Group completed the acquisition of the KCBT on Dec. 3, 2012.