BATS Options Offers Free Trading For U.S. Mini Options, Launching March 18th

 BATS Options Offers Free Trading For U.S. Mini Options, Launching March 18th

Mini Options Available For Apple, Amazon, Google, SPDR Gold Trust and SPDR S&P
500

PR Newswire

KANSAS CITY, Mo., March 12, 2013

KANSAS CITY, Mo., March 12, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- BATS Options, a U.S. equity
options market operated by BATS Global Markets (BATS), will list Mini Options
on five high-priced and actively traded securities on March 18 with no charge
for members to trade.

(Logo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100701/CG29735LOGO)

Investors will be able to trade options on Apple (AAPL), Amazon (AMZN), Google
(GOOG), SPDR Gold Trust (GLD) and SPDR S&P 500 (SPY) at a fraction of the cost
of regular-sized contracts as Mini Options carry a unit of trading one-tenth
the size of regular-sized options contracts, or 10 shares. This provides
investors who own less than 100 shares with the same protection and risk
management tools available to those owning 100 shares or more.

"We're pleased to give investors affordable access to these five high-priced
and highly liquid stocks through Mini Options," said Jeromee Johnson, vice
president and head of BATS Options. "While the trading unit size of the Mini
Options contract is less than a standard option contract on these stocks, the
post-trade and regulatory costs are consistent with a standard option
contract. For this reason we are offering free trading in the Mini Options to
minimize costs for investors and fuel adoption of these new and innovative
products."

Key features of the new Mini Options:

  o Trading symbols for Mini Options will end with either a 7 or an 8. For
    example, AAPL7 and SPY7 will differentiate them from regular-sized options
    contracts while AAPL8 and SPY8 will identify corporate actions on the
    underlying stock.
  o Mini Options will maintain the same expiration dates and strike prices as
    the Standard, Weekly and Quarterly Options Series.
  o Strike prices for Mini Options will be set at the same level as regular
    options to maintain the relationship between the underlying security and
    an option strike price.
  o Mini Options have the same terms and contract characteristics as
    regular-sized equity and ETF options, excluding exercise style.

Contact the BATS Trade Desk (tradedesk@bats.com) for more information
regarding Mini Options.

About BATS Global Markets, Inc.

BATS Global Markets, Inc. (BATS) is a leading operator of securities markets
in the U.S. and Europe. BATS develops and operates electronic markets for the
trading of listed cash equity securities in the U.S. and Europe and listed
equity options in the U.S. BATS operates two stock exchanges in the U.S., the
BATS BZX Exchange and BYX Exchange; BATS Options, a U.S. equity options
market; and BATS Chi-X Europe, which operates a FSA-authorized multilateral
trading facility. BATS' innovative and proprietary technology was developed by
a dedicated core team of market and technology professionals, catering to the
needs of the broker-dealer and trading community. The company is headquartered
in the Kansas City, Mo. area, with additional offices in New York and London.
For more information, visit www.bats.com.

 

SOURCE BATS Global Markets

Website: http://www.batstrading.com
Contact: Media (U.S.), comms@bats.com, Stacie Fleming +1.913.815.7193, or
Suzanne O'Halloran +1.212.378.8526