In 2007, the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) and the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) ended their bitter, century-long rivalry and merged to form CME Group. The combined company went on to acquire the New York Mercantile Exchange in 2008, and now dominates regulated futures trading with a 95% share of the U.S. market. The Zero-Sum Game: The Rise of the World’s Largest Derivatives Exchange and its Influence on the Global Economy tells the gripping (and often comical) story of the multi-billion-dollar bidding war that erupted between financial giants as they fought for control of CBOT. Through the lens of the historic CME/CBOT deal, the book: Introduces the colorful and outspoken personalities who call the shots in this close-knit and frequently misunderstood industry. Details the reasons behind the recent, spectacular growth of a market that’s existed for over 160 years. Explains how derivatives affect the lives of average consumers worldwide by influencing everything from interest rates on credit cards to the cost of a cheeseburger to the price of a gallon of gas. Reveals the inner workings of futures exchanges, and differentiates the various types of derivatives that are routinely lumped together and vilified by the media. Erika Olson is a former managing director of the Chicago Board of Trade and spent over ten years working in and consulting to the financial services industry. She received her MBA from Harvard Business School and her BBA from the University of Michigan Ross School of Business