5 questions reported in Trafigura interviews, organised by the group that asks them. Every question carries a model answer and graded feedback on your own attempt.
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Carry, curve shape, storage economics and policy sensitivity. 5 questions
A commodities desk tests whether you can turn a weekly inventory release into a conditional market view.
US crude inventories fall by 6m barrels against expectations for a 1m-barrel build, but refinery utilisation also drops sharply. Is the data bullish for oil?
Commodities interviews test whether you can reason from physical balances rather than charts.
Copper prices have risen 30% in six months. How would you assess whether that's sustainable?
The organising concept for any commodities desk.
Explain contango and backwardation. What determines the shape of a commodity curve, and what does it mean for someone holding a long position through futures?
A commodities trading interview on translating inventory evidence into a risk-managed futures-spread view.
Crude inventories at Cushing are falling, prompt physical differentials are strengthening, and the front-month WTI contract moves into backwardation. A colleague says to buy the…
A physical-metals scenario tests whether you understand the distinction between exchange inventory and deliverable supply.
LME aluminium inventories are high, yet nearby physical premiums and the cash-to-three-month spread both rise. How can those facts coexist, and what would you investigate before trading it?
Write your answer, get it graded on technical accuracy, completeness and communication, and see exactly which mechanic you missed.
Company tags reflect where a question type is commonly reported in interviews. They are not sourced from, endorsed by, or affiliated with Trafigura.