CHICAGO, Feb. 28, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- CBOE Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: [ CBOE ]) announced today that it will launch SPXpm long-term index option series -- "Super LEAPS" options -- on its C2 Options Exchange (C2) on Thursday, March 1.

(Logo: [ http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100614/CG20953LOGO ])

CBOE Holdings' Super LEAPS, which initially will be available for SPXpm options, feature longer-dated expirations than standard LEAPS® options (Long-term Equity AnticiPation Securities(SM)). LEAPS options contracts, developed and introduced by the Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE) in 1990, currently limit expirations to up to three years. The Super LEAPS modification will extend SPXpm expirations to as long as five years. SPXpm is C2's all-electronic, p.m.-settled version of CBOE's S&P 500 Index options contract (SPX).

SPXpm Super LEAPS were created for insurance companies, pension funds and other institutions that currently hedge their longer-dated equity index exposures in the over-the-counter (OTC) market, but also want the pricing transparency afforded by exchange-traded index options. The added transparency allows customers to see and access publicly-available bids, offers and the latest market prices – a benefit unavailable in the OTC market.

"CBOE's S&P 500 options complex, which includes our flagship SPX contract, SPX Weeklys and SPXpm, allows customers to choose the method of trading the S&P 500 that best meets their investment needs. The ability to trade longer-dated options with increased pricing transparency is of particular appeal to OTC users, and we are pleased to accommodate these customers by adding this very practical dimension to our S&P 500 product line," CBOE Holdings President and COO Ed Tilly said.

SPXpm Super LEAPS options contracts will feature December expirations. Initially, C2 will list expirations for December 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016.

C2's SPXpm product is a cash-settled index option based on the S&P 500 Index, the premier benchmark of the broader U.S. market. SPXpm is similar in structure to CBOE's flagship S&P 500 SPX contract, the most actively-traded U.S. index options product, except it has a "p.m." settlement – the settlement convention found in the OTC market. SPXpm also features European exercise, which eliminates the risk of early assignment.

For more information about SPXpm options on C2 Options Exchange, please visit [ www.cboe.com/SPXpm ].

CBOE Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: [ CBOE ]) is the holding company for Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE), C2 Options Exchange and other subsidiaries. CBOE, the largest U.S. options exchange and creator of listed options, continues to set the bar for options trading through product innovation, trading technology and investor education. CBOE offers equity, index and ETF options, including proprietary products, such as S&P 500 options (SPX), the most active U.S. index option, and options on the CBOE Volatility Index (the VIX Index). Other products engineered by CBOE include equity options, security index options, LEAPS options, FLEX options, and benchmark products such as the CBOE S&P 500 BuyWrite Index (BXM). CBOE's Hybrid Trading System incorporates electronic and open-outcry trading, enabling customers to choose their trading method. CBOE's Hybrid is powered by CBOEdirect, a proprietary, state-of-the-art electronic platform that also supports C2 Options Exchange (C2), CBOE Futures Exchange (CFE), CBOE Stock Exchange (CBSX) and OneChicago. CBOE is home to the world-renowned Options Institute and [ www.cboe.com ], named "Best of the Web" for options information and education. CBOE is regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), with all trades cleared by the OCC.

CBOE-2

CBOE-OE

CBOE®, Chicago Board Options Exchange®, CBSX®, CBOE Stock Exchange®, CFE®, CBOEdirect®, FLEX®, Hybrid®, LEAPS®, CBOE Volatility Index® and VIX® are registered trademarks, and BuyWrite(SM), BXM(SM), CBOE Futures Exchange(SM), Long-term Equity AnticiPation Securities(SM), SPX(SM) and The Options Institute(SM) are servicemarks of Chicago Board Options Exchange, Incorporated (CBOE). SPXpm(SM), C2(SM) and C2 Options Exchange(SM) are servicemarks of C2 Options Exchange, Incorporated. Standard & Poor's®, and S&P 500® are registered trademarks of Standard & Poor's Financial Services, LLC., and have been licensed for use by CBOE and C2.

SOURCE CBOE Holdings, Inc.

[ Back to top ]

N@N

C2 Options Exchange to List SPXpm quot;;Super Leapsquot;; Options on March 1

C2 Options Exchange to List SPXpm "Super Leaps" Options on March 1

NEW INSTRUMENTS OFFER INSTITUTIONS LONGER-DATED OPTIONS WITH MORE TRANSPARENCY