The rise of computer - driven funds and high - frequency trading is forcing some commodity fund funders to close , moving instead to areas not accessible by machines . Anthony Ward , known for bold bets on cocoa markets , argued that the rise of computerised trading has reached breaking point , distorting prices and creating uncertainty for investors and those that rely on commodities . Oil trader Andrew Hall , and Michael Farmer , who specialises in copper , also accused high - frequency trading , using super - fast computers , of crashing markets and causing extreme volatility .
The rise of computer-driven funds and high-frequency trading is forcing some commodity hedge funders to close, looking instead to areas not affected by machines. Anthony Ward, known for bold bets on cocoa markets, argued that the rise of computerised trading has reached breaking point, distorting prices and creating uncertainty for investors and those that rely on commodities. Oil trader Andrew Hall, and Michael Farmer, who specialises in copper, also accuse high-frequency trading, using super-fast computers, of distorting markets and causing extreme volatility.