His father retired as the owner of Comhedge Partnership, a Singapore company that makes commodity-trading software.
Commodity-trading revenue for the ten biggest banks was $4.5 billion last year, down from more than $14 billion in 2008, according to Coalition, a research firm.That makes commodity-trading an inefficient use of capital at a time when other markets, such as equities, are booming.
A weak dollar makes commodities more attractive to foreign investors.
A strong dollar makes commodities and shares of the companies that produce them less attractive to foreign buyers.
It also makes commodities denominated in US dollars more expensive for Chinese buyers, which could hurt demand and thus further depress commodity prices.
A strong dollar makes commodities priced in dollars, like gold and oil, more expensive for foreign investors, pressuring shares of energy and basic materials companies.
The government of India is so sure that speculation makes commodities dearer that it has banned the trading of futures contracts for some of them (although not oil).
A dearer US currency makes commodities more expensive for dollar holders, helping to undermine the sector, while investors are also unsetteld by some mixed signals from China.
When it falls, the dollar makes commodities cheaper for foreign buyers and increase profits for American companies that do business outside the United States.
Fantasy Trader ($2), makes commodities of N.F.L. players and provides a nicely rounded exchange platform, so you can make (fictitious) bets on your roster as you buy and sell, and compete for bragging rights.
Gold prices have also been undercut by a strengthening dollar, which makes commodities priced in the US currency, such as the precious metal, more expensive for investment buyers holding rival currencies, in turn dampening demand.
