Answer:
Trading
Explain:
The Dutch and the English East India Companies were two of the most influential trading companies during the Age of Exploration and colonialism. These companies were granted monopolies by their respective governments to trade with the East Indies (present-day Southeast Asia) and other parts of the world.
Both companies had significant economic and political power, as they controlled vast trading networks, established colonies, and even had their own military forces. They played a crucial role in the expansion of European trade and colonization in Asia, Africa, and the Americas.
Their dominance in trade and their ability to establish colonies gave them immense wealth and influence, making them the most powerful trading companies of their time.