Commodity Information

Commodity information refers to data and details related to raw materials or primary agricultural products that are traded in markets. These commodities can be broadly categorized into:

1. Types of Commodities

• Hard Commodities: Natural resources mined or extracted (e.g., oil, gold, copper, natural gas).

• Soft Commodities: Agricultural products or livestock (e.g., wheat, coffee, cotton, cattle).

2. Key Commodity Markets

• Energy: Crude oil (Brent, WTI), natural gas, coal.

• Metals: Gold, silver, platinum, copper, aluminum.

• Agriculture: Corn, soybeans, wheat, sugar, coffee, cocoa.

• Livestock & Meat: Live cattle, lean hogs, pork bellies.

3. Factors Influencing Commodity Prices

• Supply & Demand (e.g., weather affecting crops, geopolitical tensions impacting oil supply).

• Economic Data (e.g., inflation, industrial production).

• Currency Fluctuations (especially the US dollar, as most commodities are dollar-denominated).

• Government Policies (tariffs, subsidies, export bans).

• Speculation & Trading Activity (futures markets, hedge funds).

4. How Commodities Are Traded

• Spot Market: Immediate delivery.

• Futures & Options: Contracts for future delivery (traded on exchanges like CME, ICE, LME).

• ETFs & Stocks: Investors can trade commodity-linked ETFs or shares of mining/oil companies.

5. Major Commodity Exchanges

• CME Group (Chicago Mercantile Exchange) – Energy, metals, agriculture.

• ICE (Intercontinental Exchange) – Oil, sugar, coffee.

• LME (London Metal Exchange) – Industrial metals.

• NYMEX (New York Mercantile Exchange) – Crude oil, natural gas.

• TOCOM (Tokyo Commodity Exchange) – Rubber, gold.