, Columnist
Commodity Traders Make Record Profits — And Now Want a Bailout
Consultant Oliver Wyman’s report estimates the industry generated $61 billion in profit last year. This year traders have asked for help amid crushing volatility.
Commodity traders have hit some unexpected bumps in the road.
Photographer: Ann Johansson/Corbis HistoricalThis article is for subscribers only.
On the face of it, a time of “pandemic, drought, wildfires, civil unrest, and now war in Europe” doesn't sound like a great business environment. Unless you’re a commodity trader.
The world’s dealers of raw materials are the lubricant of global commerce, and when there's a lot of friction, as there has been since 2020, you need a lot of grease. For the traders, that translates into dollars; lots of them.