China's futures market was active in the first half of 2025, posting year-on-year growth in both transaction volume and turnover in the period, according to the data released by the China Futures Association on Friday.
The trading volume increased by 17.82 percent year on year to over 4 billion lots in the January-June period, bringing the total turnover to 339.73 trillion yuan (about 47.41 trillion U.S. dollars) in the period, the data showed.
In the commodities market, the precious metals sector continued to lead gains across all categories, with agricultural products following closely behind.
In the financial market, China Financial Futures Exchange (CFFEX) recorded 112.55 trillion yuan (about 15.7 trillion U.S. dollars) in total turnover in the first six months, with 30-year treasury bond futures and CSI 1000 index futures as the primary growth drivers.
From a macro perspective, with the U.S. dollar weakening, China has kept plenty of money flowing through its financial system, which has helped boost both stock and bond markets.
In addition, China's sustained strong performance in tech stocks has further boosted trading activity in CSI 1000 index futures.
China's futures market sees higher trading in H1
A spokesperson for the International Maritime Organization (IMO) said on Monday that the situation in waters near the Strait of Hormuz remains volatile, urging vessels in the area to take maximum caution.
"The situation continues to be volatile. Ships should take maximum caution and not take risks without security guarantees," the spokesperson said in a statement.
According to the information released on the IMO website, as of April 19, a total of 24 attacks on ships in the affected waters had been confirmed, resulting in the deaths of 10 seafarers.
The IMO, the United Nations specialized agency responsible for maritime safety and security, as well as the prevention of marine and atmospheric pollution by ships, has called for de-escalation, dialogue, and multilateral cooperation regarding the situation in the Strait of Hormuz.
Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said on Monday that with the U.S. repeatedly violating ceasefire deals and posing threats to Iran’s ports and vessels, a unilateral return to normal shipping remains out of reach.
Also on Monday, the U.S. Central Command claimed in a social media post that the U.S. forces have directed 27 vessels to turn around or return to Iranian ports since its blockade on navigation through the Strait starting April 13.
However, according to a report released from Lloyd's List on Monday, at least 26 vessels involved in Iranian shipping had managed to break through the U.S. blockade.
IMO urges ships near Strait of Hormuz to be on maximum alert
