The Montreal Exchange today announced its financial results for the six-month period ended June 30.

Net earnings for the first six months of 2005 rose to $8.1 million, or 99¢ per, compared to $5.6 million, or 69¢ per share for the corresponding period in 2004.

Revenues for the first half of 2005 totalled $30.1 million. Excluding a non recurrent revenue of $5 million from a transaction realized by MX in the first semester of 2004, revenues for the first six months of 2005 represented a 20% increase over the corresponding period in 2004.

MX says the overall growth in revenues is due to a 27% increase in transaction revenues which reached $12.4 million during the six months. Revenues from information systems services grew by 49% to $7.3 million.

“Again, MX results continue to reflect the rapid growth of the market for exchange traded financial derivatives in Canada,” said Luc Bertrand, president and CEO, in a release.

“The increased activity on our market, with an average daily volume up 21% over the first six months of 2004, has contributed to higher revenues and profits. Revenues from MX’s information systems services, resulting from the service agreement between the MX and the Boston Options Exchange (BOX) for the management of the technical operations of the U.S. exchange launched in February 2004, also contributed to our performance in the first semester of 2005.”