Equities trading volumes on Nasdaq Dubai, the emirate’s international financial exchange, rose by 61 per cent in February this year to 322 million transactions, compared to 200 million transactions the previous month.

However, total equities trading volume last month represented a 43.1 per cent year-on-year decline compared to the 566 million transactions recorded in the same period last year.

A total of 8,120 equity derivatives traded on the exchange in February, a 29 per cent increase from 6,290 traded in January this year. The numbers are up substantially on last year, when a total of 386 equity derivatives traded in February 2009.

US-based Citibank was the most active member of the exchange by equities trading volume last month, followed by UK-based HSBC and then German’s Deutsche Bank.

Egypt’s EFG Hermes was the most active regional member, followed by the local Arqaam Capital and another local firm Shuaa Capital International.

Meanwhile, the FTSE Nasdaq Dubai UAE 20 index fell 7.7 per cent in February this year to end the month at 1,589.

Nasdaq Dubai equity futures on 21 individual UAE companies are listed on the FTSE Nasdaq Dubai UAE 20 share index, which was designed as a hedging and investment mechanism for GCC and international investors.

Nasdaq Dubai launched its equity derivatives market in November 2008.