The New York Stock Exchange today released its weekly program-trading data submitted by its member firms. The report includes trading in all markets as reported to the NYSE for Mar. 12-16.

The data indicated that during Mar. 12-16, program trading amounted to 36.7 percent of NYSE average daily volume of 3,835.8 million shares1, or 1,406.0 million program shares traded per day. This included program trading associated with the March 16 quarterly expiration of stock-index options, futures and options on index futures.

Program trading encompasses a wide range of portfolio-trading strategies involving the purchase or sale of a basket of at least 15 stocks with a total value of $1 million or more.

For the first quarter of 2007, the NYSE’s program-trading report includes profiles of program trading whenever the New York Stock Exchange Composite Index (NYA) moves 180 points or more in a single direction during any one-hour period. During Mar. 12-16, there were no such periods.

In all markets, program trading by member firms averaged 2,894.6 million shares a day during Mar. 12-16. About 48.6 percent of program trading took place on the NYSE, 3.3 percent in non-U.S. markets and 48.1 percent in other domestic markets, including Nasdaq, the American Stock Exchange and regional markets.