U.S. stock trading volume hits record third-highest

On September 19th, as the $5 trillion options triple witching expiration day approached, trading volume surged near the market close. The trading volume of stocks on U.S. exchanges was approximately 27.7 billion shares, making it the third busiest trading day since Bloomberg began compiling data in 2008. As the U.S. stock market hits record highs and the earnings season approaches, market expectations for U.S. corporate profit growth have improved, indicating that the current rally is likely to continue. Data compiled by Bloomberg Industry Research shows that among S&P 500 constituent companies that have issued third-quarter earnings guidance, over 22% expect to exceed analyst expectations, marking the highest level in a year