Euronext NV reported record second quarter revenue, driven by strong trading volume and listing business.

The exchange said that revenues for the second quarter of 2006 reached a record of 289.6 million euros, representing an increase of 21.4% compared to the same period in 2005. For the first six months of 2006, revenues are up 20.9%.

“This first-half of the year has been the best one ever for cash and derivatives markets and has created the conditions for all business lines to register an increase in their revenues,” it noted

Euronext says that the listing fee business is particularly healthy since the beginning of the year. Forty-one new listings took place in the second quarter, bringing the overall number of new listings to 62 over the first half of the year. Euronext was the European leader for capital raising during the second quarter. The exchange had its busiest July ever with 18 initial public offerings.

Cash trading activity has been strong since the beginning of the year, with more than 116 million trades as of end of June (up 51.6% compared to the first half of 2005). The second quarter was particularly active with 58.4 millions trades, representing a 57.6% increase.

Also, trading on derivatives products has been sustained by volatility, strong cash markets and uncertainty around interest rates, it noted. Volumes on equity derivatives products increased by 39% over the first half of the year (individual equity products grew by 44%, while index related products were growing by 33%). Revenues from derivatives trading stood at 107.2 million euros, up 24.1%.