Regulators Hit the Brakes on Speculation in Futures Markets

(Beijing) – Officials governing futures markets are trying to cool a speculative fervor that has pushed up prices and trading volumes for raw materials and agricultural products in recent months.

The price of futures contracts for items including coking coal, steel and even eggs have risen since the beginning of the year. Between January 4 and April 26, the price of coking coal contracts increased by two-thirds, data from futures exchanges show, and the number of contracts traded rose from 106,000 to 2.42 million.