The FINANCIAL — The value of ASX-listed stocks, as measured by the All Ordinaries Index, fell 1.5% in April 2015. This performance is in contrast to rises in other major markets, including Hong Kong up 13.0%, the UK up 2.8%, Japan up 1.6%, Singapore up 1.2% and the US up 0.9%. Germany was down 4.3%.
Volatility measures for the Australian equity market remained below long-term averages during April:
Volatility (as measured by the average daily movement in the All Ordinaries Index) was 0.7% in April, up on the previous month (0.6%).
Expected future volatility (as measured by the S&P/ASX 200 VIX) rose in April to an average of 14.8 (compared to 14.0 in March).
Listings and capital raisings
In April 2015, total capital raised was $4.3 billion, down 37% on the previous corresponding period (pcp).
Trading – Cash markets (including equities, interest rates and warrants trades)
In April 2015, the average daily number of trades was 7% higher than the pcp. The average daily value traded on- market of $4.0 billion was 24% higher than the pcp.
Trading – Financial derivatives markets
In April 2015, the average daily number of exchange-traded options decreased 6% on the pcp. Single stock options average daily contracts traded were down 7% on the pcp and index options average daily contracts traded were up 4% on the pcp.
In April 2015, average daily futures and options on futures volume increased 20% on the pcp. Average daily futures volume was up 22% on the pcp and average daily options volume was down 39% on the pcp, according to ASX.
Clearing – OTC markets
In April 2015, the notional value of OTC interest rate derivative contracts centrally cleared was $140.1 billion, compared to $19.6 billion in the pcp.
The total notional value of OTC interest rate derivatives cleared by ASX since inception of the service is $710 billion.
Participant margin balances held on balance sheet averaged $4.7 billion in April 2015 ($3.3 billion pcp), with a month-end balance of $4.7 billion in April 2015 compared to $3.7 billion in April 2014.
Settlement
The value of securities held in CHESS at 30 April 2015 was 8% higher than the pcp. The number of dominant settlement messages in April 2015 was 10% higher than the pcp.
The value of securities held in Austraclear at 30 April 2015 was 12% higher than the pcp.
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