The CPI captures the growing liquidity in the CME core petroleum products with a high degree of exposure to WTI Crude Oil futures, the most actively traded global crude oil benchmark. Futures trading volumes in the underlying components of the index have increased in recent years. Total trading volumes across the key benchmarks have grown at an annual compound growth rate of around 5% since 2010, reflecting the deep and liquid state of the futures markets.

The component index weightings in the index provide investors with exposure to both the crude oil and refined product markets, all three of which are relevant for the Asia markets.

Table 1: CPI Index component weights

CME Group symbol Futures contract Petroleum Index weighting
CL WTI Crude Oil* 72%
HO NYMEX Ultra Low Sulphur Diesel 15%
RB NYMEX NY RBOB Gasoline 13%

*New York Crude Oil

Total daily futures trading volumes exceed one million lots on a regular basis across the three NYMEX contracts, helping provide a robust underpinning to the CPI. Using liquid futures benchmarks also helps to build confidence around some of the investment decisions that companies make about how to incorporate the CPI into their trading strategies.

In the second quarter of 2021, total trading volumes averaged around 1.2 million lots per day ‒ building on the 1.4 million lots per day traded in the first quarter of 2021.

Chart 2: CME Petroleum futures volumes remain high

Chart 1: Volatility in US energy prices
Source: CME Group data

Globally relevant energy benchmarks

The WTI Crude Oil futures contract is the largest component of the CPI at 72% ‒ reflecting its status as the world’s most actively traded crude oil benchmark contract. Exports of US crude oil are highly relevant to the Asian markets, with refiners processing increased volumes of total US exports. Trading volumes from the Asia time zone are also increasing and now account for around 20% of the total daily traded volume of WTI Crude Oil futures.

Sitting alongside WTI Crude Oil are the key US refined product benchmarks, allowing investors to gain exposure to RBOB Gasoline and Ultra Low Sulphur Diesel. The RBOB contract is the most liquid gasoline futures contract in the world and Ultra Low Sulphur Diesel is one of the major low sulphur distillate benchmarks. RBOB Gasoline accounts for 13% of the CPI whilst Ultra Low Sulphur Diesel accounts for a further 15%.

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