Eurex, the world's largest derivatives exchange, on Thursday said it planned 24-hour trading of its flagship European futures products, allowing traders in Asia and many in the US access to its markets on a single electronic system for the first time.

The move would put the derivatives arm of Deutsche Börse and the Swiss SWX stock exchange on equal footing with the two big Chicago futures exchanges, as well as rival Euronext.Liffe, which already have such global distribution.