CME Group Inc. (Chicago Mercantile Exchange & Chicago Board of Trade) is an American futures company and one of the largest options and futures exchanges. It owns and operates large
derivatives and
futures exchanges in
Chicago and
New York City, as well as online trading platforms. In 2014, it gained regulatory approval to open a derivatives exchange in
London. It also owns the Dow Jones stock and financial indexes, and CME Clearing Services, which provides settlement and clearing of exchange trades. The
exchange-traded derivative contracts include futures and options based on interest rates, equity indexes, foreign exchange, energy, agricultural commodities, rare and precious metals, weather, and real estate. It has been described by
The Economist as "The biggest financial exchange you have never heard of."