LONDON (Reuters) – Societe Generale (OTC:SCGLY) International will no longer be a ring-dealing member of the London Metal Exchange (LME) as of Aug. 27, the exchange said on Friday.
The move, which leaves seven members operating in the LME ring, could raise doubts about the future of open-outcry trading on the world’s oldest and largest market for industrial metals.
The LME ring is the last open-outcry trading floor in Europe and features a circle of padded red, leather seats for traders who use arcane hand signals during five-minute bursts of intense trading in copper, aluminium, zinc, lead, nickel and zinc.
Two years ago, the LME lost ED&F Man Capital Markets as a ring-dealing member because it was acquired by fellow member Marex.
SocGen will move from being a Category 1 member, which allows activity on the open-outcry floor, to Category 2, the LME said.
Category 2 members can trade for their own account and on behalf of clients using the LME electronic system and are members of the LME clearing house.
