MW: Japan to allow 24-hour commodities trading: report
By Michael Kitchen
LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) -- Japan plans to introduce around-the-clock commodities trading due to a drop-off in volume, according to a report Tuesday. Total trading volumes at Japan's four domestic commodity exchanges sank by two-thirds in the 2003-2008 period, while overall global commodity trading volumes rose more than threefold, helped by new index-linked commodities instruments, the Nikkei business daily reported. In response, the nation's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry has drafted a "revitalization plan" that would, among other things, allow the Tokyo Commodity Exchange to stay open 24 hours during the trading week, the report said.
