Posts by David Soffer

Getting a commodity trading internship is a huge accomplishment. You may be working for a global energy giant, a boutique agricultural house or one of the world’s major investment banks, but you’ve had a front-row seat to the markets that power the world. But an internship is basically a multi-week job interview. It’s not just…

In the world of global trade, modern civilisation runs on commodities such as crude oil, wheat, copper and natural gas. People tend to stare at the flashing red and green numbers on a trading screen, but the true ‘engine room’ of this industry isn’t just computer code: it is communication. In 2026, with markets moving…

In the fast-paced world of commodity trading, where billions of dollars’ worth of oil, gold and grain change hands every day, the “right” credentials can feel like a moving target. There are many aspiring traders who ask whether they need a Master’s in Finance (MiF) to get into the industry or whether they should just…

When thinking about a country’s progress, it is easy to visualise surfaces of roads, wires of power grids, and structures of ports and pipelines. But below just about every significant development in the emerging world markets, a commodity trade network is making it happen. Ports, energy grids, and just about anything else being developed in…

Commodity trading portfolios navigate a world complex and interrelated by uncertainty, volatility and global dynamics. Potential influences on an asset’s price include geopolitical, climatic and economic factors. Resilience is necessary, not optional, for a profit-generating portfolio. A durable portfolio should expect to take losses because that is a part of trading; however, these losses should…

Commodity trading relies on understanding how prices evolve over time, not just what they are today. Forward (or futures) price curves portray the market’s current expectations and future price risks, helping traders manage risks while capturing future price opportunities. In an industry characterised by margin compression and increasing competition, analytical frameworks that quantify and manage…

Whether you are new to commodity trading or looking to sharpen your understanding of how markets work, few concepts are as fundamental, or as frequently misunderstood, as the difference between spot prices and futures prices. On the surface, the distinction seems simple: one reflects what a commodity costs right now, and the other reflects what…

Commodity trading involves significant financial exposure. Prices can move quickly due to changes in supply and demand, geopolitical developments, or shifts in global economic conditions. Changes in prices can create opportunities, but they also bring risk. To manage this uncertainty, commodity trading firms establish risk limits. These limits help control how much exposure a trader or…