The Best and Worst Performing Commodities of Q1 2014

With the first quarter of 2014 on the books, investors are still digesting a slew of mixed economic reports, as well as looming uncertainty over the crisis in Ukraine. Equity markets have struggled to find a definitive direction so far this year – a vastly different environment from the record-breaking rallies seen at the end of last year. The commodities market also saw a fair amount of activity in Q1, as geopolitical tensions, severe weather, and global economic uncertainty (particularly in China) came into focus. Below, we outline some of the best and worst performing futures from the first quarter of this year [for more commodity news and analysis subscribe to our free newsletter]:

Posted in Agriculture, Brent Oil, Coffee, Copper, Energy, Heating Oil, Industrial Metals, Livestock, Lumber, Timber | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

All About The Heating Oil ETF (UHN)

For the majority of people, heating oil is usually associated with the boilers and furnaces that are used to heat homes and businesses. The fuel is especially popular in parts of Northeastern U.S. and Canada, where natural gas and propane are either inaccessible or too expensive. But because heating oil is a low-viscosity petroleum product that is derived from crude oil, its prices are often closely tied to WTI crude. Furthermore, heating oil accounts for about 25% of the yield of a barrel of crude, the second largest allocation after gasoline [for more energy news and analysis subscribe to our free newsletter].

Posted in Asset Allocation, Commodity ETF Analysis, Commodity ETFs, Commodity Futures, Energy, Heating Oil | Tagged | 2 Comments

For Day Traders: The Most Liquid ETF for Every Commodity

The introduction of commodity ETFs brought trading to a whole new level, as your average retail investor now has the opportunity to trade something like natural gas futures through a single ticker. As the years have gone on, a number of these products have grown to be some of the most widely-used financial instruments for their respective commodity. One advantage to ETFs, however, is that liquidity is not hindered by average volume due the the creation process. Instead, there will just be some funds that are more liquid and tradable than others [for more commodity ETF news and analysis subscribe to our free newsletter].

Posted in Academic Research, Actionable Ideas, Agriculture, Alternative Energy, Aluminum, Asset Allocation, Brent Oil, Cocoa, Coffee, Commodity ETF Analysis, Commodity ETFs, Copper, Corn, Cotton, Energy, Gasoline, Gold, Heating Oil, Industrial Metals, Lead, Livestock, Natural Gas, Nickel, Nuclear, Palladium, Platinum, Precious Metals, Silver, Solar, Soybeans, Sugar, Tin, Wheat, Wind | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

For Long Term Investors: The Cheapest ETF for Every Commodity

After gathering more than $1 trillion in total assets under management, ETFs have cemented their place in the financial world. Among the universe of nearly 1,500 products, commodity funds have garnered a lot of attention, as these products have democratized an asset class that was once difficult to reach by retail investors. Now, there are a number of exchange-traded options to help you gain exposure to your favorite hard assets, all at a low cost.

Posted in Academic Research, Actionable Ideas, Agriculture, Alternative Energy, Aluminum, Asset Allocation, Brent Oil, Cocoa, Coffee, Commodity ETF Analysis, Commodity ETFs, Commodity Futures, Copper, Corn, Cotton, Energy, Gasoline, Gold, Heating Oil, Industrial Metals, Lead, Livestock, Natural Gas, Nickel, Nuclear, Palladium, Platinum, Precious Metals, Silver, Solar, Soybeans, Steel, Sugar, Tin, Wheat, Wind, WTI | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Weekly Energy Roundup: Crude Surges, Natural Gas Continues Slide

Energy prices managed to squeeze out relatively strong performances over the last week despite the chaos in Italy that rippled throughout the global financial markets. Crude oil resisted the downward pressure from intensifying anxiety over a debt crisis in Europe, and managed to head higher in recent sessions–with a brief detour on Wednesday. The following table shows the performance of energy exchange-traded products for the week ended November 10; note that these products utilize futures-based strategies, and as such may not reflect changes in spot commodity prices over this period:

Posted in Brent Oil, Energy, Gasoline, Heating Oil, Natural Gas, WTI | 1 Comment

Welcome to Commodity HQ

Welcome to CommodityHQ, a web-based resource designed for investors looking to learn more about the potential uses and risks associated with commodities as an asset class. Recognizing that commodities have the potential to add significant return enhancement and diversification benefits, while at the same time exhibiting significant risks and complexities, the team behind CommodityHQ launched this site to fill an educational void and deliver unbiased, timely, and well-researched analysis.

Posted in Agriculture, Alternative Energy, Aluminum, Biofuels, Coal, Cocoa, Coffee, commodityHQ.edu, Copper, Corn, Cotton, Energy, Exclusive, Gasoline, Gold, Heating Oil, Hydro, Industrial Metals, Lead, Livestock, Natural Gas, Nickel, Nuclear, Palladium, Platinum, Precious Metals, Rare Earth/Strategic Metals, Silver, Solar, Soybeans, Steel, Sugar, Timber, Tin, Wheat, Wind, WTI, Zinc | Leave a comment
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