CME Group Explores Sales of Kansas City, New York Buildings
CME Group said it plans to sell the building that houses its grain exchange in Kansas City, Mo., and may also sell the building which houses its energy trading floor in New York.

The sales reflect the shift to electronic trading that has made it less attractive for exchange operators to own real estate for traditional open-outcry pits.

CME, the largest U.S. futures exchange operator, last year sold most of its historic Chicago Board of Trade building to a consortium of real-estate companies for $151.5 million and leased back space that is uses, including trading pits for agricultural products.

CME said at the time it wanted to focus on running its exchanges, rather than managing real estate.