Release: �������#4521-01
For Release: May 31, 2001

CFTC Staff Allows LIFFE's Mini Futures Contract Based on the FTSE 100 Index to be Offered and Sold in the United States

WASHINGTON -- The Commodity Futures Trading Commission's (CFTC's) Office of General Counsel (OGC) issued a no-action letter on May 30, 2001, permitting the offer and sale in the United States of the mini FTSE 100 Index futures contract traded on The London International Financial Futures and Options Exchange (LIFFE). In connection with the relief issued by OGC, the CFTC's Division of Trading and Markets has confirmed that the no-action relief provided to LIFFE on July 23, 1999 extends to the mini FTSE 100 Index futures contract. Thus, the mini FTSE 100 Index futures contract may be made available in the United States on LIFFE's electronic trading facility, LIFFE CONNECT™.

The FTSE 100 Index is a broad-based, modified capitalization-weighted composite index designed and administered by FTSE International Limited. Based on data supplied by LIFFE, the total market capitalization of the FTSE 100 Index was approximately U.S. $2.090 trillion as of February 19, 2001.

• For information on foreign exchange-traded stock index futures contracts pending no-action approval with the CFTC's OGC, see the Foreign Instrument Approvals & Exemptions Backgrounder at www.cftc.gov/opa/backgrounder/opapart30.htm.

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