| Société Générale SA told Jefferies LLC that it’s interested in buying its Bache commodities-trading unit — but only parts of it, Christian Berthelsen and Tatyana Shumsky report. It’s an indication of how unattractive raw-materials trading is amid fewer profits and more regulation. SocGen expects to take more than 300 of Bache’s top clients by revenue, including producers and end users of materials ranging from crude oil to aluminum.
But many brokers on Jefferies Bache’s energy team are moving to U.K. brokerage ED&F Man Capital Markets after SocGen decided to absorb just a third of client assets. “This year has been a reality check for the industry,” said Matt Simon, head of futures research at consulting firm TABB Group LLC. “It’s a simple case of what the profitability is going to be. There’s lower commissions, fewer instruments you can profit on, stronger capital commitments and growing pressure on the business.”..........................................Full Article: Source
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