denotes premium content | Sep 3 2010 
Editor's Letter
posted 26 Jun 2009 in Volume 12 Issue 8
Editor’s letter
Test of metal
The pleasure of working in trade finance, without a doubt, is the knowledge of playing a genuinely valuable role in the world economy – helping much-needed goods get from A to B, feeding the world and increasing the prosperity of mankind, especially in emerging markets.
The first step in any production process, of course, is the production, processing and shipping of commodities, which is why I hope this issue of Trade & Forfaiting Review will be especially warmly welcomed.
We have a panel of the sharpest and best in the industry answering our questions, which are especially acute in view of the abrupt downturn in trade and much higher barriers to funding since our last Global Commodities Review, this time last year.
But the story is not necessarily straightforward. While particular metals, have been hammered, ‘agris’ have recovered in price and speculators expect the prices of most categories of softs to go higher. After all, they reason, the human population never stops growing and the food-producing arable land required to support it is the one resource whose output cannot easily be increased.
Voting will close today in the TFR Awards 2009. Because of the number of people wishing to vote, we extended the deadline and I hope that everyone has had an opportunity to cast their votes. On Friday 3rd July, we will reveal the results on our website, www.tfreview.com, as well as in the next issue of TFR. The winners, as we cannot stress often enough, will be entirely decided by your votes alone and nothing else. Good luck to the participants, and may the best banks – and law firms, boutiques and insurers – win.
Graeme Burton
Managing editor
