EEX Press Release - Half Year 2020 Volumes EEX Group reports significant global growth

Key figures

Please find the detailed figures on the half year 2020 v. 2019 attached to the press release.

EEX Group continued to achieve significant global growth during the first half of 2020 reporting double and triple digit increases across the majority of its markets. In addition to major increases in the global power segment, EEX Group achieved outstanding results in Dry Freight alongside healthy increases in natural gas and environmental products.

Peter Reitz, CEO of EEX comments: “2020 has certainly been a year where the world has faced unprecedented challenges. As an exchange group, we have a responsibility to our customers to provide a safe, secure and stable environment in which to trade and clear. The strong performance in H1 2020 demonstrates that as a group, we are able to provide our customers with certainty in these uncertain times. On behalf of the entire management board, I would like to thank our global customer base for their continued support and every member of the EEX Group team for their resilience, adaptability and commitment.”

In H1 2020, EEX Group’s global power volume achieved a total of 3,777 TWh which marks an increase of 21% compared to the previous year (1^st half of 2019: 3,123 TWh).

On the Group’s European power spot markets, operated by EPEX SPOT, volumes increased by 4% year on year, with a total of 314 TWh traded in the first six months (1^st half of 2019: 303 TWh). This was mostly driven by the positive development of the Intraday market which increased by 23% to 54.1 TWh (1^st half of 2019: 43.9 TWh). The Day-Ahead market remained steady with a total volume of 259.9 TWh (1^st half of 2019: 259.2 TWh). Additionally, the successful launch of EPEX Intraday and Day-Ahead products in the Nordic market (Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden) in May and June 2020 set a new milestone for the business.

The European power derivatives market increased significantly with a growth of 31% compared to the previous year. The total volume traded rose to 2,481 TWh (1^st half of 2019: 1,896 TWh), which was mostly driven by the positive development in the French (279.2 TWh, +108%), Spanish (105 TWh, +57%), German (1,571 TWh, +23%) and Hungarian (116.8 TWh, +132%) power markets.

Having recently launched on 18^th May this year, EEX’s Japanese power derivatives business got off to a flying start, achieving a total volume of 0.12 TWh. While on the US power derivatives market, operated by Nodal Exchange, the growth story continues with a 6% increase achieved in the first half of 2020 and a total traded volume of 982.7 TWh (1^st half of 2019: 924.8 TWh).

Furthermore, over the first 6 months of 2020, Nodal Exchange has become the number one futures exchange in North America having gained the majority share of Open Interest as of 30^th June 2020.

The EEX Group global natural gas markets increased by 7 % to 1,351.7 TWh (1^st half of 2019: 1,264.6 TWh), mainly driven by the positive development of the European gas derivatives market (602.6 TWh, +19%). Among the European Gas Futures, the Dutch TTF hub remains the most liquid hub in Europe with 496,534 TWh traded the first semester (+17% y-o-y), while the Austrian CEGH reports strong increasing volumes (42,292 TWh, +72%). The European gas spot markets achieved a total volume of 718.5 TWh which represents a slight decrease of 5% (1^st half of 2019: 757.7 TWh). While on the North American gas derivatives market, as operated by Nodal Exchange, a total volume of 30,6 TWh was traded over the last six months. The European gas spot markets achieved a total volume of 718.5 TWh which represents a slight decrease of 5% (1^st half of 2019: 757.7 TWh). While on the North American gas derivatives market, operated by Nodal Exchange, a total volume of 30,6 TWh was traded over the last six months.

Thoughout the first half of 2020, EEX Group’s dry freight business continued to report major growth, recording a total volume of 422,464 lots which represents an increase of 1,211% (1^st half of 2019: 32,230 lots). Over the 6 month period, EEX’s freight business also achieved a series of milestones thereby cementing the Group’s position as a major player in global freight trading. In April, EEX gained the majority share of Open Interest in the total dry freight market, while in May, EEX overtook the historical dominant player in the market for the first time ever, gaining the majority share in both volume and Open Interest for the total dry freight market. This was swiftly followed by another record in June when EEX Group achieved its highest ever monthly volume in dry freight.

The market for European emission allowances achieved a total volume of 560.5 million tonnes of CO₂ which marks an increase of 3% compared to the previous year (1^st half of 2019: 541.8 million tonnes of CO₂). This was mostly driven by an increase on the Emissions spot market with an achieved volume of 311.4 million tonnes of CO₂ in the primary market auctions (1^st half of 2019: 295 million tonnes of CO₂, +6%) and a volume of 30.3 million tonnes CO₂ in the secondary markets (1^st half of 2019: 28.2 million tonnes of CO₂, +8%). The Emissions derivatives market remained stable with a volume of 218.8 million tonnes of CO₂ (1^st half of 2019: 218.5 million tonnes of CO₂).

In the North American environmental markets, operated by Nodal Exchange, 56,786 contracts were traded in the first half of 2020 which marks an increase of 33% (1^st half of 2019: 42,712 contracts).

The Agricultural market remained stable with a traded volume of 26,060 contracts (1^st half of 2019: 26,062 contracts).



EEX Group provides market platforms for energy and commodity products across the globe and provides access to a network of more than 650 trading participants. The group offers trading in power, natural gas, environmental products, freight, metal and agriculturals as well as subsequent clearing and registry services. EEX Group consists of European Energy Exchange (EEX), EPEX SPOT, EEX Asia, Power Exchange Central Europe (PXE) and Nodal Exchange as well as the registry provider Grexel Systems and software company KB Tech. Clearing is provided by EEX Group’s clearing houses European Commodity Clearing (ECC) and Nodal Clear. EEX Group is based in 17 worldwide locations and is part of Deutsche Börse Group. More information: www.eex-group.com