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ABOUT

About ROFEX Our history Organizational Chart Authorities Video Financial statements

ROFEX was founded in 1909 (registration with the Corporation Control Authority (IGPJ) under N° 226) as "Mercado General de Productos Nacionales del Rosario de Santa Fe S.A." and was later renamed "Mercado a Término de Rosario S.A". In 1993, the National Securities Commission (CNV) issued General Resolution N° 10278 by means of which the Mercado a Término de Rosario S.A. was considered a self-regulatory organization. ROFEX, Rosario Futures Exchange, is the trade name that distinguishes the Market. (Trademark registered as from 12/02/98, at the I.N.P.I. (National Industrial Property Institute) under classes 35 and 36). The company was created in response to the need to guarantee trades in futures and options contracts on commodities, which balance price variations mainly generated by temporary differences between supply and demand concentrations. ROFEX was the first exchange in Argentina to apply an electronic trading system to its trades. This mechanism positioned ROFEX at the forefront and was added to the traditional open outcry method in the trading floor. The pace of international markets and a greater information flow gave rise to the emergence of new accessible technologies, such as the Financial Information Exchange Protocol (FIX). This tool, implemented by ROFEX by mid-2007, is a technical specification for electronic trading communications, which standardizes real-time financial information and serves as a catalyst to incorporate new international brokers, improve the contribution to Data Vendors and allow the incorporation of technological players, adding value to the Market's brokers.

Key points in ROFEX´s evolution

1909 | The "Mercado General de Productos Nacionales del Rosario de Santa Fe S.A." was founded on November 19.

1909-1930 | Period of great growth in agricultural futures volume.

1915-1916 | Under the effects of the First World War, futures exchanges were closed worldwide, except for those of Latin America. During this period, ROFEX was the only exchange that complied with its contracts.

1935 | The Argentine Central Bank was created and the monetary law was amended.

1941 | The Argentine government closed the country's futures exchanges. At that time, the Market carried out other trades established in its Bylaws: grain storage and investment in pledge loans on agricultural products.

1956 | The government authorized the Exchange to resume trading.

1978 | The company changed its name to "Mercado a Término de Rosario S.A." and significantly increased its share capital.

1991 | US dollar trading was authorized.

1993 | The Rosafe Soybean Index (ISR) was created, which allowed the settlement of this contract by price difference (up to that point it was settled by product delivery). From that date on, it is the most traded contract in the Agricultural Derivatives Division (ADD).

1998 | The electronic trading system began to operate, joining the traditional "open outcry" method carried out in the trading floor of the Rosario Board of Trade.

1999 | Argentina Clearing House S.A. (later known as Argentina Clearing S.A.) was created to guarantee the fulfillment of all trades carried out in ROFEX.

2001 | After leaving convertibility, ROFEX settled all open positions and complied 100 percent with the contracts being traded up to that moment.

2002 | The Financial Derivatives Division (FDD) was created, being the first exchange of standardized derivatives on financial products in Argentina. High growth in US dollar futures volume and expansion of product offering (futures on Euro, Brazilian Real and Badlar rate, among others).

2006 | The Market's demutualization is completed, that is, it is not necessary to be a shareholder to trade in the exchange. Only a membership request and the payment of an admission fee are required. This allowed the admission of banks and other entities to ROFEX.

2007 | The Fix Gateway was implemented, a world standard protocol for financial communications.

2009 | ROFEX´s 100th anniversary. Trading volume records.

In the annual ranking of the Futures Industry Association (FIA), international association located in the USA, ROFEX registered a significant growth in its trading volume, holding the 27th place among the 54 most important exchanges in the world in 2009.

2010 | ROFEX launches DMA (Direct Market Access)

2011 | ROFEX acquires PRIMARY SA, an important technology provider for exchange markets, banks and brokers.
In the same year ROFEX launches two new contracts: Crude Oil Futures in June and Soja Chicago futures in December