The Montreal Exchange today reported higher earnings after an exceptional third quarter.

Net earnings for the quarter ended Sept. 30, rose to $4.6 million, or 53¢ per share on a diluted basis, compared to $1.3 million, or 15¢ per share on a diluted basis, for the corresponding period in 2004.

Revenues for the third quarter totalled $16.6 million up 26% over the corresponding period of 2004. The exchange said the increase was mainly due to a significant increase in average volume traded at the MX. Average daily volume progressed by 62% to reach 125,747 contracts in the third quarter of 2005 compared to 77,654 contracts in the third quarter of 2004.

“MX had an exceptional quarter,” said Luc Bertrand, president and CEO of the Montreal Exchange. “Participants traded record volumes on the Canadian derivatives market and the Boston Options Exchange, for which MX is the technical operator. Combined activity of the two trading platforms reached a new summit during the quarter, with close to 700,000 contracts traded in a single day, on September 1, 2005. This record has since been surpassed, with a total of 813,000 contracts traded on the two platforms last October 19th.”