1.   Volume was measured as the logarithm of the number of futures contracts traded each day in the near contract.

2.   Analysts cited the lower-than-average number of September futures contracts trading hands today as evidence investors were holding off from placing bets.

3.   An RFG futures contract trades on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

4.   As evidence of this, analysts pointed to the lower-than-average amount of September futures contracts traded.

5.   As a result, the October and December futures contracts are trading at about the same level as the April contract.

6.   -- All contracts trade regular hours.

7.   About twice as many September futures contracts traded hands this morning as December contracts.

8.   About three times as many September futures contracts traded hands today as December contracts.

9.   Agricultural contracts have traded overnight during the past several months as a pilot program.

10.   However, it failed to reopen this month as scheduled, when its navel-navelina contract should have been trading.