SINGAPORE EXCHANGE PLANS OPTIONS CONTRACTS The Singapore International Monetary Exchange Ltd, SIMEX, said it would launch at least two options on futures contracts this year. SIMEX said in a press release that the options contracts would be based on the currency and interest rate futures currently traded on the exchange and be started "toward the third quarter." SIMEX, which is linked to the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, currently trades three currency futures -- on Deutsche marks, Japanese yen and British pounds -- and two interest rate futures -- on U.S. Treasury-bonds and three-month Eurodollars.