The trading volume of financial derivatives on the local bourse fell last year due to the protracted economic slowdown amid rising uncertainties in the eurozone and the United States, data showed Wednesday.

The daily average trading volume of the derivatives including futures and options fell 17.7 percent on-year in 2012 to 54.6 trillion won ($51.2 billion), compared with 66.3 trillion tallied a year earlier, according to the data compiled by the Korea Exchange.

The average number of daily contracts also decreased to reach 7.4 million last year, down 53.3 percent from the 15.84 million tallied in 2011, the data showed.

By instruments, futures trading decreased 17.3 percent on-year to 53.3 trillion won on a daily basis, with trading of options losing 30.2 percent to 1.2 trillion won, according to the KRX.

The decline came as local investors took a wait-and-see stance on the prolonged financial crisis in the eurozone amid the U.S. fiscal cliff issue, the bourse operator said.

Foreign investors expanded their shares in the local derivatives markets by expanding their investment portfolios, while institutions and retail investors reduced their presence in the market. (Yonhap News)