Just the cost of doing business. The cost of the GF's apartment in Chicago must be paid for......... http://www.cmegroup.com/tools-information/lookups/advisories/ser/SER-6913.html
You missed the part about the elimination of the CME Group Market Data Waiver: Effective 11/14/2013 for all new data distributors and their subscribers Effective 3/1/2014 for all new subscribers of existing data distributors Effective 1/1/2015, all current subscribers of existing data distributors enjoying the waiver will have to pay reduced rates. http://www.cmegroup.com/market-data/distributor/files/market-data-policy-changes-2014.pdf
Ironic since IMO both lower volumes and lower volatility are due to HFT strip mining the "sea" of operations. What happens to one, happens to all. More damage to come when, by force, HFT "liquidity fees" changes their methodology to even more sinister operations. I have not yet detected such action in my trades but it is inevitable evolution IMO. Of course, as we all know there is no impact of HFT in the markets, is there?
Why not join them? I bought Junes $80s after blundering my ICE trade, all the little 'mordidos (Spanish word connoting bites taking out or used in slang for bribes to pass through this policeman's territory.) so we raised prices why not buy the stocks benefiting? We had no way to fight Exxon Mobile price flight to $100 after years of slumming in low priced oil. If the Exchanges are now consolidation like ICE-NYX and Nasdaq and CME looking for another partner, why not buy the stock and enjoy these price increases? One way to look at all those mordidos taken from your trades.
What "Volume going down"? In the 3rd quarter CME contract volume was up 13% from 2012. In the first 9 months volume was up 9% from 2012. If the CME wants more growth in volume they should lower their already steep fees.