The Montreal Exchange has established new trading volume records, exchange operator TMX Group Inc. said Monday.

Year-to-date volume traded on the MX was 43,456,143 contracts, which exceeded the previous record of 42,742,210 set on Dec. 31, 2007.

MX also set a new equity option trading record on December 17, when 183,136 contracts were traded, which surpassed the previous record of 166,876 contracts set on earlier this year on November 4 .

“Montreal Exchange has seen a dramatic surge in volume this year,” said Tom Kloet, CEO, TMX Group, in a release. “We have taken full advantage of the changing interest rate environment as well as the increasing popularity of equity derivatives among both institutional and retail and investors.”

IE