Leading commodity bourse MCX will launch options trading in gold on Dhanteras day, October 17.

“This is to inform you that the exchange is targeting to launch trading in gold option contracts with gold (1kg) futures as underlying on October 17,” the exchange said in a BSE filing today.

MCX had been conducting mock trading in options since the last week of June. It has also been upgrading its technology to handle increased participation in options trading.

In August, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) had allowed options trading in commodity markets.

Besides MCX, agri-commodity bourse NCDEX (National Commodity & Derivatives Exchange Ltd) also has plans to launch options trade and has sought permission for guarseed. The exchange has not yet announced the date of its launch.