** Shares of derivatives exchange CME Group fall as much as 2.6%; last down 2% at $227.82
** Citi Research downgrades CME to "neutral" from "buy"; cuts PT to $250 from $255, which is still a 7.5% upside to the stock's last close
** Brokerage says after two solid years of double-digit revenue growth for CME, it expects to see more muted growth this year
** Citi prefers to take a conservative outlook for now, with open interest - the total number of outstanding derivative contracts that have not been settled - up just 1% to 2%, year-over-year, over the last two months
** Brokerage, however, cautions that its forecast could prove conservative, given the potential for a volatile environment moving forward
** Seven of 18 brokerages rate the stock "buy" or higher, eight "hold", and three "sell"; with a median PT of $254, according to data compiled by LSEG
** CME stock rose 10.3% in 2024 vs a 23.3% jump in the benchmark S&P 500 index
(Reporting by Arasu Kannagi Basil in Bengaluru)
((ArasuKannagi.Basil@thomsonreuters.com;))
Disclaimer: Investing carries risk. This is not financial advice. The above content should not be regarded as an offer, recommendation, or solicitation on acquiring or disposing of any financial products, any associated discussions, comments, or posts by author or other users should not be considered as such either. It is solely for general information purpose only, which does not consider your own investment objectives, financial situations or needs. TTM assumes no responsibility or warranty for the accuracy and completeness of the information, investors should do their own research and may seek professional advice before investing.