CME Group Inc. - CME STOCK NEWS

CME Group declared an annual variable dividend of $2.50 per share, totaling approximately $900 million, payable on January 13, 2021, to shareholders of record on December 28, 2020. Including this dividend and a previously announced fourth-quarter dividend of $0.85 per share, the total 2020 dividend yield reaches 3.3%. Since initiating the variable dividend structure in February 2012, CME Group has returned over $15 billion to shareholders through dividends, reflecting its commitment to capital return based on operating results.

CME Group and the Mathematical Sciences Research Institute announced that Susan Athey, an Economics of Technology Professor at Stanford, is the 2019 recipient of the CME Group-MSRI Prize. Athey is recognized for her contributions to digital economics and marketplace design, becoming the first woman to receive this honor. A virtual event to celebrate her achievement will be held on Dec. 11, 2020. Past recipients include Nobel Laureates, underscoring the prize's significance in the economics field.

CME Group announced that John Pietrowicz, Chief Financial Officer, and Sean Tully, Global Head of Financial and OTC Products, will present virtually at the Goldman Sachs 2020 U.S. Financial Services Conference on December 8, 2020, at 9:20 a.m. ET. The presentation can be livestreamed on CME Group's investor website. An audio replay will be available 24 hours post-conference. CME Group is a leading derivatives marketplace that offers a range of trading options across various asset classes, empowering global market participants.

CME Group reported significant market activity for November 2020, achieving an average daily volume (ADV) of 19.3 million contracts, a 6% increase from November 2019. Notable highlights include an ADV of 8.8 million contracts in Interest Rates and 5.4 million in Equity Index. Record trading was seen in SOFR futures with an ADV of 87,000 contracts. Bitcoin futures ADV surged 118% year-on-year, while Agricultural futures saw a 10% rise. The data reflects strong growth across various asset classes, underscoring CME Group's dominance in the derivatives marketplace.

The Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer fell 16 points to 167 in November, driven by a pessimistic outlook on the agricultural economy. The Index of Future Expectations dropped 30 points to 156, contrasting with a 9-point rise in the Index of Current Conditions, reaching an all-time high at 187. Survey results indicated growing concerns about tighter environmental regulations, increased taxes, and insufficient government support for the ethanol industry. Furthermore, expectations regarding the U.S.-China trade dispute worsened, with only 50% of respondents anticipating a favorable outcome.

CME Group has announced the winners of its 17th annual Trading Challenge, with the University of Antioquia from Colombia taking first place, marking a milestone as the first Latin American team to win. The competition attracted over 500 teams from more than 30 countries, providing university students a platform to hone their trading skills on CQG's electronic trading platform. Participants accessed live newsfeeds to enhance their market understanding. Winners will receive cash prizes and attend a virtual market education conference in December, emphasizing CME's commitment to financial education.

CME Group has launched a comprehensive suite of implied volatility benchmark indexes based on its proprietary CME Group Volatility Index (CVOL™) methodology. Starting with eight indexes focused on 10-Year Treasury Note futures and G5 FX currency pairs, the CVOL family will expand to cover all major asset classes in early 2021. These indexes will enable traders to monitor and hedge against volatility effectively, offering metrics such as Up Variance, Down Variance, and Skew for better market sentiment analysis. Historical data is available for the seven individual indexes.

On November 13, 2020, TriOptima announced the successful completion of its first triBalance FX cycle, optimizing exposures for clients adhering to SA-CCR leverage ratio capital requirements. This cycle occurred on October 29, 2020, focusing on both bilateral and cleared initial margin exposures. TriOptima, operational since 2017, enhances counterparty credit risk management through customized transactions in its extensive multilateral network. As the first to optimize all-in net exposures, TriOptima prepares FX clients for upcoming SA-CCR requirements being implemented across major jurisdictions.

CME Group has launched the first-ever FX Market Profile tool, providing a platform for comparing FX listed futures and spot liquidity. This tool, powered by Quant Analytics, enables market participants to analyze trade flows and benchmark performance against CME's FX futures and EBS's spot markets. It features prices for 11 major currency pairs, offering greater transparency and revealing new trading opportunities. The tool aims to enhance trade execution by allowing traders to evaluate the optimal time for transactions and manage slippage costs effectively.