CME Group IncRecord open interest and rising volumes indicate strong client demand for CME's energy products.

CME Group announced that its Henry Hub natural gas futures reached a new open interest record of 1,807,497 contracts on September 1, 2026, surpassing the previous record of 1,801,183 contracts set on November 8, 2024. The exchange noted that open interest typically peaks around November ahead of winter, but this year it rose faster and to record levels as clients positioned for geopolitical shifts and winter volatility. Peter Keavey, Global Head of Energy and Environmental Products at CME Group, attributed the surge to a Super El Niño reshaping weather-driven demand, record LNG output reordering global gas flows, and Middle East supply uncertainty. CME Group's energy business had a record first half of 2026, with average daily volume climbing 11% to 3.3 million contracts.
CME Group IncRecord open interest and rising volumes indicate strong client demand for CME's energy products.