Meet the traders who supply the world with oil, metal and food – no matter how corrupt, war-torn or famine-stricken the source.

‘Gripping’ Economist
‘Jaw-dropping’ Sunday Times
‘Riveting’ Financial Times
‘Fascinating’ Reuters

We are entering an age of energy crises and food shortages. This book reveals why.

Meet the swashbuckling traders who supply the world with energy, food and metal.

Their goal- To make billions by buying and selling raw materials – flogging Russian gas to Europe, Saudi oil to America and Congolese metals to Silicon Valley.

Their methods- Whatever it takes – whether funnelling cash to Vladimir Putin’s sanction-stricken Kremlin, schmoozing Russian metal oligarchs after the collapse of the Soviet Union, or striking deals with the Libyan rebels at the height of the Arab Spring.

These are the commodity traders. You’ve probably never heard of them. But, like it or not, you’re one of their customers.

Shortlisted for the Financial Times & McKinsey Business Book of the Year Award
A Financial Times and Economist Book of the Year

‘Shows how much money and global influence is concentrated in the hands of a tiny group . . . Remarkable . . . As the authors roam from oilfield to wheatfield, they reveal information so staggering you almost gasp’ Sunday Times

‘A globe-spanning corporate thriller, full of intrigue and double dealing . . . Changes how we see the world, often in horrifying ways’ Spectator

‘A rich archive of ripping yarns . . . The high level narrative is gripping enough. But it is the details of what these freewheeling companies actually got up to that give the book a thriller-like quality’ Financial Times

‘Some of the stories could be straight out of John le Carre. The difference is they’re true’ Andrew Neil

Author Biography

Javier Blas and Jack Farchy are two of the world’s best-known journalists covering energy, commodities and trading houses. They both work for Bloomberg News, where Blas is chief energy correspondent and Farchy is a senior reporter covering natural resources. Previously, they covered commodities for the Financial Times.

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