US LNG exports surge but will buyers in China turn up?
Investing.com -- Raymond James upgraded CME Group Inc (NASDAQ:CME) to "Outperform" from "Market Perform," given the strong trading volumes driven by economic uncertainty and geopolitical tensions. Price target was set at $287 for the exchange operator, as the company is well-positioned to thrive in a volatile market environment.
CME operates futures and options exchanges. It has seen increased trading activity in rate and energy futures, helping offset concerns about competition and the impact of expected Federal Reserve interest rate cuts.
"Boosted by volatility, rate futures volumes are trending better than we had anticipated with Treasury futures in particular notably robust," the analysts wrote.
CME’s daily average trading volume in February rose 12% year-over-year to 33.1 million contracts, up from a 2% increase in January.
So far in March, trading volume has accelerated further, reaching an average of 39.3 million contracts per day.
Short-term interest rate futures, which typically see lower activity when rates decline, have remained resilient due to uncertainty over the Fed’s monetary policy.
Meanwhile, Treasury futures trading continues to grow as rising U.S. debt fuels demand for hedging instruments.
After years of declining volumes, CME’s energy futures trading has picked up, growing 5% in 2023 and 17% in 2024. The trend has continued in early 2025, with trading volumes up 26% compared to the same period last year.
Raymond (NSE:RYMD) James attributed the rebound to the increasing global importance of U.S. crude oil, as well as the expansion of LNG exports.
Concerns over competition from FMX Futures, a platform launched by BGC Group in September 2024, appear to be easing, according to the note. Although FMX has gained some traction, its trading volumes remain small compared to CME.
The departure of BGC’s former CEO Howard Lutnick, who was recently appointed U.S. Secretary of Commerce, has also removed one of FMX’s strongest backers.
CME’s strong position in financial markets, combined with its ability to benefit from ongoing market uncertainty, makes its stock an attractive investment opportunity.