NYSE Euronext Liffe, the derivatives trading business of NYSE Euronext (NYX), is looking for growth in Asia, particularly China, a senior executive from the bourse operator said.

"Longer term, the Greater China region is important to our group," Paul MacGregor, director of fixed-income derivatives at NYSE Liffe, told Dow Jones Newswires.

The company has agreements to cooperate with the Dalian and Zhengzhou commodity exchanges. The company also has a 5% stake in both the National Stock Exchange of India and the Multi-Commodity Exchange.

Much of NYSE Liffe's current business is in the U.S. and Europe. In the Asia-Pacific region, Japan makes up the bulk of its business. The firm would like to see more business in other parts of Asia, such as Hong Kong.

"In Asia, most of the trading is still in equities, but that's changing," MacGregor said.

In efforts to attract customers, NYSE Liffe is running a promotion to new customers offering 1 million lots of Euribor options to trade or six months of free trading.

The firm has also applied to the Hong Kong Securities and Future Commission to set up a technical point of presence, giving customers in Hong Kong a way to plug in directly into its trading network. The company has already set up a technical point of presence in Singapore.

Interest in exchange-traded products including options and futures has taken off as investors such as hedge funds move to reduce exposure to over-the-counter products in the wake of the Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. bankruptcy.

-By Ellen Sheng, Dow Jones Newswires; 852-2832-2336; ellen.sheng@dowjones.com