Three Worst Performing Commodity ETFs Over The Last Three Years

Ever since markets crashed in 2008, investors have been slowly increasing their risk appetites, shifting towards more lucrative and risky asset classes such as commodities. Some investments in this category have flourished, while others haven’t fared so well. Natural gas is perhaps the first cringe-worthy commodity that comes to mind as investors witnessed its unprecedented free fall over the last few years. But with NG and some of the other big losers comes a potential buy in opportunity at rock bottom prices. Whether you’re looking for a bargain or simply want to avoid these bad-performing funds, we outline 3 of the worst performing commodity ETPs over the last three years. Note that this list is a bit modified in that we only chose one fund from each commodity type [see also 12 High-Yielding Commodities For 2012]. 

Posted in Agriculture, Cocoa, Commodity ETF Analysis, Commodity ETFs, Energy, Exclusive, Natural Gas | Tagged , , , | 17 Comments

Does GLD Really Hold Gold, Or is it a Scam?

The SPDR Gold Trust (GLD) is one of the most popular exchange traded products in the world, as it is home over $68 billion in assets and an average trading volume topping 16 million shares. This fund features a physically backed exposure to gold while charging fees of just 0.40%. The yellow commodity has been surging in popularity in recent years as the precious metal soared past $1,900/oz. while analysts and investors speculated about where the asset was headed. For many investors, GLD is their go-to investment vehicle for gold exposure and trading, as futures contracts can often be complex and dangerous [see also Why No Investor Should Own GLD].

Posted in Commodity ETF Analysis, Commodity ETFs, Exclusive, Gold, Precious Metals | Tagged , | 45 Comments

Introducing Our New Heatmap Page

CommodityHQ is excited to announce the introduction of our new heatmap tool. This new feature is 100% free and will allow investors to segment the commodity space to see which assets are underperforming as well as those that are ahead of the pack. Because the commodity world can be extremely volatile, it is often difficult to find an asset that has been consistently outperforming, or ones that are constant laggards. This new feature will erase that issue and is designed specifically with investors in mind.

Posted in Academic Research, Asset Allocation, Commodity ETFs, Exclusive, Tools | Leave a comment

Natural Gas and Company In Steep Contango

Contango is simply an unavoidable phenomenon of the commodity market; at some point almost all commodities will fall into this pattern. For those unfamiliar with the term, contango simply refers to a scenario in which near month futures are cheaper than those expiring further into the future, creating an upward sloping curve for future prices over time. Traders and investors need to keep a close eye on futures curves, as they can have a drastic impact on positions while also presenting opportunities for lucrative trades. Now that the ETF industry has cracked commodity investing wide open, monitoring contango has become more important than ever [see also Understanding Contango Through Natural Gas Futures].

Posted in Agriculture, Energy, Exclusive, Gold, Natural Gas, Precious Metals, Soybeans, WTI | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

Commodity Trading Trends: Sugar Sweetens, Silver Slides

The past week has seen a continued run in the bull market that has defined 2012. With economic data coming in strong on the home front and euro fears subsiding for the time being, the majority of assets have enjoyed healthy gains on the year. Commodities, on the other hand, are a different story. Given their inherent volatility, the direction of equity markets is often irrelevant to how a particular commodity behaves; it often comes down to economic trends and trading habits. The trailing five day period has watched sugar futures soar by more than 7.6% while silver has sank by roughly 3.4% [see also 25 Ways To Invest In Silver].

Posted in Agriculture, Commodity Trading Trends, Exclusive, Precious Metals, Silver, Sugar | Tagged , | Leave a comment

5 Best Performing Commodity ETFs Over The Last 3 Years

Its been more than four years since financial markets took their unprecedented nose dive, and yet some investors still cringe at the mere mention of the year that most wish they could forget. The crash of 2008 shook markets around globe, hammering  down prices in nearly every corner of the investable universe. On March 9th 2009, investors were finally able to see the light at the end of the tunnel as rock-bottom markets prepared to make their turnaround. The pickup spurred investors’ appetites for riskier asset classes, luring many to the lucrative world of commodity investing. For the most part, commodities can find a place in almost everyone’s portfolio; the asset class can provide uncorrelated returns and diversification benefits, as well as serve as a potential hedge against inflationary pressures [see also 12 High-Yielding Commodities For 2012].

Posted in Commodity ETF Analysis, Copper, Energy, Exclusive, Gasoline, Industrial Metals, Silver, Tin | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

ETFs To Bet Against Natural Gas

Of all of the commodities that have experienced a fair amount of volatility as of late, none have fared worse than natural gas. This asset has been one of the more frustrating commodities over the past few years, as it has continually hit new lows while many called it undervalued, only to watch it lob off even more of its price. Already in 2012, NG futures have sank over 27%, and a quick glance at its historical performance reveals a nasty downward trend that has persisting starting with the 2008 recession. These massive losses have burned a number of investors who have sworn off this commodity after buying in at what seemed like lows, only to watch natural gas sink below $5, $4, and finally $3. In fact, NG currently has its sights set on losing grip of the $2 mark [see also 25 Ways To Invest In Natural Gas].

Posted in Commodity ETF Analysis, Commodity ETFs, Energy, Exclusive, Natural Gas | Tagged , | 4 Comments

Commodity Trading Trends: Precious Metals Lead The Way

As 2012 wears on, investors seem less and less sure how the year will end. Some feel that the early bull market we experienced is here to stay and that strong U.S. data only supports that claim. But others feel that such rapid appreciations in stock markets mean that we are about due for a pullback, potentially ending the year on a sour note. No matter which way you feel about the economy, there are always strategies to make a trading profit, and for the time being it looks like precious metals are it. These four metals have been steadily outperforming their commodity peers in recent trading sessions and are presenting a strong play [see also Three Reasons Why Gold Is Overvalued].

Posted in Commodity Trading Trends, Exclusive, Gold, Palladium, Platinum, Precious Metals, Silver | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Brent Crude vs. WTI: The Best Performing Commodity

Crude oil is one of the most vital commodities in the world. Whether we realize it or not, it has a presence in our everyday lives and is a fuel that our world simply cannot function without. But when it comes to crude investing, traders have long had two choice staring them in the face; Brent oil, and West Texas Intermediate (WTI) oil. The two have stumped many for quite some time, as they search for the intricacies that make these seemingly similar commodities inherently different. Beyond the attributes that set these two apart comes the question of which type of crude makes for a better investment. Recent historical data puts that question to rest, as one clear winner emerges [see also 25 Ways To Invest In Crude Oil].

Posted in Brent Oil, Energy, Exclusive, WTI | Tagged , | 7 Comments

Why You Should Sell UNG, Buy FCG

Natural gas prices have taken investors and traders alike on a dismal ride down a slippery slope that few could have predicted. Many are worried that fuel prices won’t recover any time soon given the overarching fundamentals. Developments in the fracking process coupled with uncharacteristically mild weather have translated into weaker than expected demand along with towering stockpiles; two major headwinds for any commodity. Record low natural gas prices may be discouraging even the bravest of investors from speculating in the current environment, however, indirect exposure through the equity market may present itself as an appealing approach for some [see 25 Ways To Invest In Natural Gas].

Posted in Commodity ETF Analysis, Commodity ETFs, Commodity Futures, Commodity Producers, Energy, Exclusive, Natural Gas | Tagged , | 5 Comments