Bitcoin futures rise as virtual currency hits major exchange

CHICAGO (AP) — The first-ever bitcoin future began trading Sunday as the increasingly popular virtual currency made its debut on a major U.S. exchange.The futures contract that expires in January rose $340 to $15,800 in the first hour and 15 minutes of trading on the Chicago Board Options Exchange. The contract opened at $15,460, according to data from the CBOE.The CBOE futures don't involve actual bitcoin. They're securities that will track the price of bitcoin on Gemini, one of the large