Trading with a commodity MNC or BB?

new here, would very much appreciate your advice and wisdom.

having interned with both a BB and a commodity MNC previously, i'm inclined to joining the latter (one in the likes of bunge, cargill, vitol etc). though i am interested in commodities, there is no real specific preference on the asset class. rather i'm concerned with the future prospects and recognition of employment with a commodity firm should i decide to leave after a few years. past colleagues have often praised sell-side experience, but i'm beginning to think that it's about pimping stocks, products, etc. in the end.

commodity trading on the other hand would give expertise, and allow opportunities for having my own book and taking positions, so i would say such an experience would be invaluable, esp for a young-starter. yet based on what i have come across in the forums here, it seems like either 1) sell-side commodity traders don't move to commodity firms or vice-versa (if any, it's the latter and it's more of a one-liner hearsay), or 2) commodity trading with an MNC isn't glamorous enough to be covered here.

would appreciate some pointers on prospects, remuneration, list of other firms to consider, buy-side opportunities, and other considerations that i should make - i am most concerned with prospects and opportunities. thank you.

 
Best Response

Maybe I misunderstood, but you say "commodity trading on the other hand would give expertise, and allow opportunities for having my own book and taking positions, so i would say such an experience would be invaluable, esp for a young-starter" like you can't do that at a BB, which is incorrect, and you also say you don't have a preference for the asset class, so I don't get what your point is, because you can do what you said in any asset class. You can have your own book and take positions in pretty much any asset class at a BB bank. Maybe not pure proprietary trading, but you can take some positions. Maybe what you were trying to say is that you have 2 offers and the BB offer is for a pure agency trading position.

 
Maximus Decimus Meridius:
Maybe I misunderstood, but you say "commodity trading on the other hand would give expertise, and allow opportunities for having my own book and taking positions, so i would say such an experience would be invaluable, esp for a young-starter" like you can't do that at a BB, which is incorrect, and you also say you don't have a preference for the asset class, so I don't get what your point is, because you can do what you said in any asset class. You can have your own book and take positions in pretty much any asset class at a BB bank. Maybe not pure proprietary trading, but you can take some positions. Maybe what you were trying to say is that you have 2 offers and the BB offer is for a pure agency trading position.

Hi, I stated "no preference for an asset class" is to make the point so that no one will ask on the asset class that I'm interested in as it is hardly comparable between commodity trading at a commodity firm and FI at a BB. But yes you are right about the 2 offers and the BB is an cash eq position. Also to clarify, the position-taking that I meant was referring to outright prop positions on personal views on the market, not the kind for hedging or facilitation.

So any thoughts on risk-taking a commodity firm vsflow-trading at a BB?

 

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