Throughout the month ASX systems – including trading, clearing and settlement, and company announcements – operated normally.

Cash markets (including equities, interest rates and warrants trades):

• Total cash markets trades for March 2008 were 7.9 million, up 70% on the previous corresponding period (pcp). Average daily trades of 415,886 were 97% up on pcp.

• Total cash market traded value was $129.0 billion in March 2008, down 1% on pcp, with a daily average value of $6.8 billion, up 15% on pcp.

• A daily record $13.95 billion cash market value was traded on 27 March 2008. The previous daily record value was $13.7 billion on 20 September 2007.

Derivatives markets:

• Equity derivatives volume (excluding SPI 200) for March 2008 was 1.8 million contracts, down 11% on pcp, with a daily average of 94,649 contracts, up 3% on pcp.

• Total futures and options on futures contracts volume (excluding equity derivatives and CFDs) for March 2008 was 9.1 million, down 20% on the pcp, with a notional value of $3.8 trillion. Average daily contracts volume during March 2008 of 478,147 was down 7% on the pcp.

• A total of 5,562 ASX CFD trades were transacted in March 2008 comprising a volume of 6.2 million contracts. The total notional value of all CFD trades for March was $163.6 million, and the value of CFD open interest at the end of March was $41.4 million.

Listings and capital raisings:

• In March 2008, 5 new entities1 were listed, down 69% on the pcp, bringing total listed entities to 2,222 up 10% on the 2,029 for the pcp.

• Total capital raised in March 2008 amounted to $2.8 billion, down 68% on the pcp due to secondary listings being $5.9 billion lower than pcp. Capital raisings year-to-date comprise initial raisings of $10.8 billion, up 2% on pcp, and secondary raisings of $38.7 billion, down 7% on pcp.

Supervisory monitoring and enforcement activity:

• In March 2008, 9,880 company announcements were processed (in line with pcp), 24 price queries were issued to listed entities (down 37% on pcp) and 98 trading halts (9% up on pcp) were imposed.

• During the quarter ending 31 March 2008, the ASX Disciplinary Tribunal and Appeal Tribunal finalised eight matters, imposing $459,000 (plus GST) in fines against eight participants.

• During the March 2008 quarter, ASX referred the following to ASIC:

o 12 suspected contraventions for insider trading;

o 7 suspected contraventions of continuous disclosure; and

o 6 suspected contraventions for market manipulation. -- www.asx.com.au