Dominic Whittome regrets the loss of banks and other third parties from commodities and power trading

In November the Financial Times reported that Barclays was winding down its energy – largely oil and gas – trading business, which had revenues of about £100 million a year. It is part of a longer-term plan to exit commodities trading. But for the wholesale gas and power markets, energy merchants and investment banks have played a significant in providing market liquidity, especially out on the forward curve.