Carlyle Sells Trader Traxys to Group Led by High-Frequency Firm

Carlyle Group Inc. and hedge fund tycoon Louis Bacon agreed to sell commodity trader Traxys to a group of investors led by high-frequency firm Optiver, and also including the company’s management.

The deal could see Optiver and Traxys join forces to develop new derivatives markets for the niche metals Traxys specializes in, said Chief Executive Officer Mark Kristoff. Dutch firm Optiver is a top market maker in liquid electronic markets such as exchange-traded funds, while Traxys is a mid-sized physical trader with a focus on metals like rare earths, cobalt and tin.

The shift away from fossil fuels ...