THE PHILADELPHIA STOCK EXCHANGE ANNOUNCES JULY VOLUME

PHILADELPHIA- August 3, 2006 - The Philadelphia Stock Exchange announced today that equity option volume increased 80.28% when 18,810,223 contracts traded compared to the same year-ago period when 10,433,910 contracts traded. Equity option volume in July declined 5.30% compared to the previous month when 19,862,026 contracts traded.

The Exchange garnered 13.48 % equity options market share in July making it the third largest market center in the US for options for the ninth month in a row. The Exchange’s substantial volume growth was also recently reflected in the June rankings of equity option volume at global exchanges (July 31, 2006 edition of Futures and Options Week ) when PHLX placed fourth worldwide in equity options volume.

PHLX market share without ex-dividend volume of 784,395 contracts was 12.91%.
Sectors index options volume in July increased 41.40% when 590,822 contracts traded compared to the same year-ago period when 417,830 contracts traded. Volume in sectors index options in July decreased 32.12% compared to the previous month when 870,374 contracts traded
Trading volume in the customized and standardized currency options for July totaled 11,335 contracts, a decrease of 14.47% compared to the same year-ago period when 13,253 contracts traded. Volume in July increased 8.08% compared to the previous month when 10,488 contracts traded.

PHLX currently lists options on 19 sectors, among them are: PHLX/KBW Bank Index (BKX^SM); KBW Insurance Index (KIX^SM); KBW Capital Markets Index (KSX^SM); KBW Mortgage Finance Index (MFX^SM); KBW Regional Banking Index (KRX^SM); PHLX Drug Sector^SM(RXS^SM); PHLX Gold/Silver Sector^SM (XAU^SM); PHLX Oil Service Sector^SM (OSX^SM); PHLX Defense Sector^SM (DFX^SM); TheStreet.com Internet Sector (DOT^SM); PHLX Semiconductor SectorSM (SOX^SM); PHLX Utility Sector^SM (UTY^SM); PHLX Housing Sector^SM (HGX^SM); PHLX World Energy Index^SM (XWE^SM); SIG Cable, Media & Entertainment Index^TM (SCQ^SM); SIG Coal Producers Index^TM (SCP^SM); SIG Oil & Exploration Index^TM (EPX^SM); SIG Semiconductor Device Index^TM (SDL^SM); the SIG Steel Producers Index^TM (STQ^SM).

The PHLX now trades iShares FTSE/Xinhua China 25 Index Fund (FXI^SM). This is the first time investors in the United States and abroad will be able to track the performance of the largest and most widely traded Chinese stocks by mirroring the FTSE/Xinhua China 25 Index, which captures the top Chinese stocks available to international investors by total market capitalization.
The Philadelphia Stock Exchange was founded in 1790. The PHLX trades 1,943 stocks, 2,231 equity options, 19 sectors index options, and currency options and futures. For more information about the PHLX and its products, visit www.phlx.com.

SIG Investment Managers Index™ is a trademark of Susquehanna Indices, LLP.
SMQ ^SM is a service mark of the Philadelphia Stock Exchange.
SIG Cable, Media and Entertainment Index™ is a trademark of Susquehanna Indices, LLP.
SCQ ^SM is a service mark of the Philadelphia Stock Exchange.

SIG Casino Gaming Index^TM, SIG Semiconductor Capital Equipment Index^TM and SIG Semiconductor Device^TM Index are trademarks of SIG Indices, LLLP. SGV^SM, SEZ^SM and SDL^SM are service marks of the Philadelphia Stock Exchange, Inc.