How to Invest in Commodities

Invest in commodities today using NinjaTrader as your trusted broker.

While most people may think stocks and bonds are the only investment options, but if you're learning how to invest in commodities you may know that they provide an option to diversify a portfolio.

Though most people are familiar with buying physical gold or other precious metals, today’s market offers a variety of options from exchange-traded funds (ETFs) to futures contracts.

Steps to Invest in Commodities

• Decide on the Type of Investment
• Determine the Size of Your Investment
• Choose the Right Brokerage Account
• Purchase the Commodity

Investing in commodities can be done in a few simple steps.

1. Decide on the Type of Investment

Investing in commodities can be done through several options:

• Exchange traded funds (ETFs)
• Mutual funds
• Futures contracts
• Physical assets
• The stock of companies heavily tied to that commodity

Each type of investment vehicle has different risk, transaction, margin requirements, and contract parameters. Futures contracts require margin and carry additional risk compared to what you might find in a commodity ETF.

Additionally, futures-based products have what’s known as backwardation and contango, where the current prices may have a discount or premium relative to the expected spot price in the future. This chart depicts how these concepts play out.

2. Determine the Size of Your Investment

Figure out how much money you want to allocate to the investment and then determine how much of the commodity investing you will be purchasing based on the price plus any fees associated with that particular commodity and investment vehicle.

Keep in mind that leveraged products, such as futures or leveraged funds, will move more than a regularly traded index and won’t need as much capital to achieve similar returns. However, because of the borrowing costs of leverage, they will provide lower returns on a comparable basis.

3. Choose the Right Brokerage Account

Depending on the type of investment and vehicle you choose you may be required to open a futures or stock market account. Most major brokers from Fidelity to Schwab allow for the trading of stocks, ETFs and mutual funds within the same account.

Futures accounts will require additional setup and are not offered by all brokers. When purchasing physical assets there are separate dealers who buy and sell commodities. Need help selecting the best brokerage account for you? Visit Benzinga's picks for the Best Online Brokerage.

4. Purchase the Commodity

Once you have the correct investment account set up with the broker you can transact online, over the phone, or through one of their remote offices.  Commodity ETFs, mutual funds, and commodity supplier companies all trade and act like regular stocks.

Futures require a specific exercise date, as well as choosing between various-sized lots. Physical commodity brokers may have different requirements that are different from broker to broker that are similar to purchasing any other physical good.

Commodity products become so homogenous between suppliers that there may be slight differences in quality, the products mainly differentiate on price. Most commodity prices are in dollars, which allows some of them to be used as a hedge by investors.

What are Commodities?

Commodities are basic goods that can be substituted with other equivalent goods of the same variety. These include:

• Precious metals, such as gold and silver
• Energy such as crude oil and natural gas
• Industrial metals such as copper and tin
• Food products including wheat and cattle

The graph below shows how there is generally an inverse relationship between the U.S. dollar and the gold and oil commodities. Some commodities differentiate based on from where they’re supplied, such as West Texas Crude vs. London Brent Crude. Commodities also play into inflation as they are direct input costs for many industries and uses, such as steel for buildings and gas for cars.

As the cost of commodities rise, consumers spend more money to buy the same amount of the commodity, leaving them with less to purchase other goods and services.

Build Your Investment Account Through the Commodity Market

Commodities offer a unique way to invest in an asset class other than stocks. Though commodity prices can be relatively stable for long periods of time, technological advances like fracking for oil can cause quick changes in the price of a commodity. Additionally, commodities can be influenced by natural events and supply disruptions.

Want to learn more about commodities trading? Check out Benzinga's guides to the best futures brokers, the best commodity ETFs and how to invest in oil.

Try IQcent

IQcent is an all-in-one trading platform with the capacity to help you trade crypto, other digital assets, indices, stocks, commodity investing etc. This platform serves as a powerful took for international traders who want to diversify their portfolios and make it easier to gain access to a range of financial markets. Because it offers access to commodities, you can further expand your portfolio beyond the range of other online brokerage account options.

With IQcent, you also get:

• A massive array of tradable assets
• High leverage options
• Small minimum order sizes
• Multiple (and instant) funding options

IQcent offers a proprietary trading platform that’s compatible with a range of devices, and there’s no software or an app to download. Straightforward and easy to navigate, experienced or novice traders can jump into IQcent and get started today.

Try Pepperstone

Pepperstone is a well-known brokerage firm offering a wide range of commodities to choose from and have competitive pricing. The platform is user-friendly and easy to navigate, making it convenient for both experienced and novice investors.

One of the key advantages of investing in commodities through Pepperstone is the access to real-time market data and analysis. This allows investors to stay informed and make more informed decisions. Additionally, the platform offers various tools and features that can enhance the trading experience and help investors manage their commodities portfolio effectively.

Pepperstone also excels in customer service, as they have a dedicated team that provides prompt and reliable support to their clients. This is crucial in the investing world, as assistance may be needed at any given time.

Frequently Asked Questions