Commodities are an important aspect of most American’s daily life. A commodity is a basic good used in commerce that is interchangeable with other goods of the same type. Traditional examples of commodities include grains, gold, beef, oil, and natural gas.
For investors, commodities can be an important way to diversify their portfolio beyond traditional securities. Because the prices of commodities tend to move in opposition to stocks, some investors also rely on commodities during periods of market volatility.
In the past, commodities trading required significant amounts of time, money, and expertise, and was primarily limited to professional traders. Today, there are more options for participating in the commodity markets.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Commodities that are traded are typically sorted into four categories broad categories: metal, energy, livestock and meat, and agricultural.
For investors, commodities can be an important way to diversify their portfolio beyond traditional securities.
In the most basic sense, commodities are known to be risky investment propositions because their market (supply and demand) is impacted by uncertainties that are difficult or impossible to predict, such as unusual weather patterns, epidemics, and disasters both natural and man-made.
There are a number of ways to invest in commodities, such as futures contracts, options, and exchange-traded funds (ETFs).