ICE Futures Europe has introduced additional maturity dates for its FTSE 100 Index Weekly Option contracts, giving traders and institutional investors more expiry cycles for hedging and tactical positioning in the UK’s benchmark equity index.
The update, announced via Circular 26/011 on February 9, follows standard procedures for extending the availability of short-term option maturities. The contracts are cash-settled, denominated in GBP, and cleared through ICE Clear Europe.
The expansion comes amid a broader industry move toward shorter-dated maturities in derivatives markets. ICE Futures Europe first introduced weekly maturities for the FTSE 100 in late 2016, following the London Stock Exchange’s launch of UK weekly FTSE 100 options earlier that year. Both moves followed the growth of weekly and ultra-short-dated options in the US, particularly on the S&P 500.
By 2026, trading in “0DTE” (zero days to expiration) contracts has grown rapidly worldwide. Market participants increasingly want maturities that allow them to hedge around specific events, such as Bank of England rate decisions or economic data releases, without paying for the extra time value embedded in monthly contracts.
Other exchanges have added comparable short-dated contracts. Eurex already offers daily options on the Euro Stoxx 50 and DAX, with same-day options volumes increasing in recent years.
Technical details
The FTSE 100 Weekly Options carry a unit of trading of £10 per index point, a tick size of 0.5 index points (£5.00), and European-style exercise. Settlement prices are determined through an intraday auction on the London Stock Exchange, typically beginning at 10:10 AM on expiry Fridays.
The contracts are margin-efficient for participants. Because the weekly options share an underlying index with FTSE 100 futures and standard monthly options, portfolio margining through ICE’s risk model can reduce initial margin requirements by 70% to 80% for hedged positions.
The announcement came on the same day ICE launched FTSE South Korea RIC Capped Index Futures, as ICE broadens its equity index derivatives range.
Market makers are expected to provide continuous two-way pricing for the new maturities, and all trades must be reported under applicable UK regulatory requirements.
