Thus, derivatives trading – mostly futures contracts on interest rates, foreign currencies, Treasury bonds, etc had reached a level of $1,200 trillion, $1.2 quadrillion, a year. By comparison, U.S. GDP in 2006 was $12.456 trillion.
The table below provides data for the annual amount of financial trading in U.S. financial markets, compared to GDP.
Sources for Table above:
Equity Markets Trading, Statistical Abstract of the United States. For example 1990 and 2000 taken from Table 1201, Sales of Stocks on Registered Exchanges, 1990 to 2003, "Market Value of all Sales" minus "CBOE" Statistical Abstract of the United States, 2004-2005.
U.S. government securities trading, Statistical Abstract of the United States. For example 1990 and 2000 taken from Table 1190, Volume of Debt Markets by Type of Security, 1990 to 2003, Statistical Abstract of the United States 2004-2005.
Futures Trading, are estimates based on the average value of types of futures contracts, multiplied by the number of contracts traded, reported by the Futures Industries Association.