Zero Sum Game by Erika Olsen

[Saluki]

With a new baby I don't have much time for paper books but I still try to listen to audiobooks when I drive or walk the dog. Since I was looking at exchanges lately (CME, CBOE, MIAX, OTCM) this new book was timely and I really enjoyed it. I finished it in 2 days.  

 

It's about the CME's purchase or CBOT and how ICE tried to step in and buy it out from under them. CME eventually bought them and NYMEX and became the dominant futures exchange in the US. 

 

It's well written and really informative. I have a background in this stuff, but it's pretty hard to explain some of the esoteric stuff to people not involved in it. This does a good job of that. It also goes over some stuff that I wasn't aware of like the origin of ICE. It started as a competitor to Enron by some enterprising traders and they kept evolving to go where the money is. (Now they own NYSE and some other stuff). 

 

The behind the scenes Game of Thrones manuevering is very interesting.  

 

There are FOUR books with the title "Zero Sum Game" on Amazon, this is the one I'm referring to: 

 

https://amzn.to/4biPBtK

 

Highly recommend!