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Commodities: Most Popular Articles

These articles are the most popular over the last month.
What are Commodities and Futur
Learning the meaning of commodities and futures markets and how to make money trading commodities.
Crude Oil
Fundamental research of crude oil futures, including contract specs, reports and tips on how to trade crude oil in the commodity markets.
Futures Contract Specs
The main features of futures contracts to learn are ticker symbols, futures contracts, contract sizes, delivery months and price quotes.
Becoming a Broker
Learn the process of what you need to do to become a licensed commodity broker. Areas covered include passing the series 3 test, choosing a brokerage firm and what the job involves.
Corn
Fundamental research of corn futures, including contract specs, USDA reports and tips on how to trade corn in the commodity markets.
Futures Margin
Futures Margin has many different meanings in futures trading and includes initial margin, maintenance levels, margin call and why margin changes.
Futures Exchanges
Commodities trade on regulated futures exchanges including the Chicago Board of Trade, Chicago Mercantile Exchange, New York Mercantile Exchange and ICE Futures US.
Commodity Profiles
Learning about each particular commodity is an important step before you begin trading commodities. The report includes profiles of grain, metal, energy, soft and livestock commodities.
Day Trading Futures
What is Day Trading in the Futures Markets? There are advantages and disadvantages to day trading futures. We also list the best markets for day trading futures; including t-notes, soybeans, crude oil, japanese yen and the euro fx.
Futures Quotes and Charts
Several online sources provide futures quotes and charts. Three of the top sources for futures quotes are discussed.
Gas Futures
Profile of RBOB Gasoline futures including contract specs, gas fundamentals, gas reports and trading ideas for gas futures.
Gold Futures
Profile of Gold futures including contract specs, gold fundamentals, gold reports and trading ideas for gold futures.
Interactive Brokers Review
A review of Interactive Brokers where the focus is on the online futures broker part of their business. We are looking for low commission rates, trading platform, research and overall quality of this futures broker to report to our readers.
Commodities Analysis
Weekly research and analysis of the commodities markets. A review of the week in trading and an outlook to next week for the commodity futures markets.
Coffee Futures
Profile of Coffee futures including contract specs, coffee supply and demand fundamentals, and trading ideas for coffee futures.
Natural Gas Futures
Profile of Natural Gas futures including contract specs, natural gas supply and demand fundamentals, and trading ideas for natural gas futures.
Futures Options - The Basics
Learn the basics of futures options including calls, puts, premium and strike price.
Cocoa Futures
Profile of Cocoa futures including contract specs, cocoa crops, cocoa supply and demand fundamentals, and trading tips for cocoa futures.
Lean Hogs Profile
Fundamental research of lean hog futures, including contract specs, USDA reports and tips on how to trade lean hogs in the commodity markets.
Which Commodities To Trade?
One of the first steps in trading commodities is finding out which commodities you should be trading.
Hurricane Commodities
The hurricane season brings opportunities to trade commodities every year. The major commodities that are affected by hurricanes are orange juice, natural gas, crude oil, sugar, lumber, corn, soybeans and wheat futures.
Wheat Futures
Wheat futures fundamental research including contract specs, types of wheat, commodity exchanges traded and trading tips on wheat futures.
Live Cattle Futures
Fundamental research of live cattle futures, including contract specs, reports and tips on how to trade cattle futures in the commodity markets.
Sugar Futures
Profile of Sugar futures including contract specs, sugar supply and demand fundamentals, and trading ideas for sugar futures.
Soybeans
Fundamental research of soybean futures, including contract specs, USDA reports and tips on how to trade soybeans in the commodities markets.
Futures Contracts
What are the differences between commodities and a futures contract?
Heating Oil Futures
Profile of Heating Oil futures including contract specs, heating oil supply and demand fundamentals, and trading ideas for heating oil futures.
Online Commodities Trading
Online commodities trading has many benefits to commodity traders, but it also has many dangers to the novice trader.
Commodity Broker Commissions
Commodity brokers charge commissions per trade to their clients. How much should you pay a commodity broker in commissions? There are also ways to negotiate your commission rates.
Fundamental Analysis
Using fundamental analysis to research and trade commodities and futures. Supply and demand are the main factors to determine the price of commodities.
Commodity Account Size
What size of account should you start with to trade commodities? They can range from $2,000 and up.
Copper Futures
Profile of copper futures; covering copper futures contract specs, copper reports, copper fundamentals and trading ideas for copper futures.
Buying a Put Option
The strategy of buying a put option in the futures and commodity markets. When to use this option strategy, the risks and benefits compared to buying a futures contract.
Trading Volume Increases
Trading volumes for futures and commodities increased substantially in 2007 due to the bull market in commodities.
Follow the Commodities Trend
Trend Following is a very effective trading strategy in the commodity and futures markets.
Cotton Futures
Profile of cotton futures, including contract specs, cotton fundamentals, cotton trading ideas and cotton market reports.
Greens 2008 Trader Tax Guide
Tax guide for filing taxes with issues related to trading commodities and futures. Released in 2008, this guide is for filing your taxes from year 2007. Covers issues like trader tax status, IRS red flags, trader expense deductions and more.
Commodity Investing Myths
Myths of Investing in Commodities are discussed. Many investors don't utilize commodities as an investment because of many misconceptions people have of commodities.
Commodity Price Movement
Learn how to research the commodities markets and tips on trading commodities and futures to learn why the markets move higher or lower.
Silver Futures
Profile of Silver futures including contract specs, silver fundamentals, silver reports and trading ideas for silver futures.
Come Into My Trading Room
Book review of Come Into My Trading Room - A Complete Guide to Trading by Dr. Alexander Elder. The psychology of trading is discussed as well as his Triple Screen System and the techniques he uses to trade futures and stocks.
TradeStation Review
Review of TradeStation Securities, which is an online futures broker that executes trades on futures, stocks and options.
Buying a Call Option
The strategy of buying a call option in the futures and commodity markets. When to use this option strategy, the risks and benefits compared to buying a futures contract.
Commodity Brokerage Firms
There are good and bad types of commodity brokers to work for. We examine how you can determine whether you are looking at a good or bad brokerage firm.
Introducing Broker
Introducing Broker works with clients of commodity and futures accounts, but allows a futures Commission Merchant to handle the trading floor operations.
Option Selling Strategy
The benefits of an option selling strategy for trading the futures and commodities markets. The odds are in your favor by selling options but you also have to control the risk.
Commodities Taxes
How to calculate and file taxes on Commodities Trading using IRS Form 6781 – Gains and Losses From Section 1256 Contracts and Straddles.
Fibonacci Trading
Book review of Fibonacci Trading – How to Master the Time and Price Advantage by Carolyn Boroden. The book details an explanation of Fibonacci ratios and how to use them in trading commodities.
Lumber Futures Profile
Lumber futures fundamental research including contract specs, supply and demand of lumber and trading tips on lumber futures.
Hiring a Broker
Most new Commodity Investors will find it beneficial to hire a full service commodity broker to help with their trading education and chance to make profits.
Successful Commodity Broker
Learn the steps that it takes to become a successful commodity broker. You have to open accounts, trade the commodities markets and service your clients.
ExpressFutures.com Review
A review of ExpressFutures.com. This company is an online futures broker. We examine their commission rates, trading platforms, research and the overall quality of this futures broker to report to our readers.
Commodities Bull Market
Commodities have been in a long term bull market due to increase world demand and tight supplies for many commodities.
Larry Williams
Book review of How I Made One Million Dollars Trading Commodities Last Year by Larry Williams. He discuses the strategies he used in his commodity trading as well as other helpful advice on trading commodities.
Trading The Ross Hook
Book review of Trading The Ross Hook by Joe Ross. The book details the Ross Hook trading method for commodities and futures. Joe Ross covers the Ross Hook, stop placement, trading tricks and an overall explanation of how to use the Ross Hook strategy successfully.
USDA Grain Stocks Report
Read and understand the key components of the USDA grain stocks report.
Commodity Trading
Commodity trading has produced superior returns over history compared to a buy and hold strategy for commodities.
Stop Orders
Stop order can be used to limit losses when trading commodities or to initiate positions on momentum.
Rough Rice Futures
Rough rice futures fundamental research including contract specs, types of rice, commodity exchanges traded and trading tips on rice futures.
Orange Juice Futures
Orange juice futures fundamental research including contract specs, supply and demand of orange juice and trading tips on orange juice.
Book Review: TurtleTrader
Book review of The Complete TurtleTrader by Michael Covel. The review covers the story of Richard Dennis and his bet with William Eckhardt on whether the could teach traders their trading system for trading commodities, futures and stocks.
Commodity Portfolio
Managing trades in a commodity account requires keeping portfolio risk low, not risking too much on any trade, trade with the trend and use discipline when trading futures and options.
Option Expiration Date
Definition of an option expiration date for futures options.
Market Orders
Learn how and why to place a market order when you are trading commodity futures and options.
Small Speculators
Small speculators in the futures markets typically are less successful traders than the commercial traders.
Stop Loss Orders
Stop loss orders are a key component to your success in trading commodities and futures. Stop losses help to limit your risk and keep you disciplined when trading.
Timing Techniques
Book review of Timing Techniques for Commodity Futures Markets by Colin Alexander. The book covers trading indicators, patterns that work and how to put it all together for a commodity trading strategy.
Limit Orders
Explanation of the when, how and why to use a limit order in trading commodity futures and options.
Day or Open Order?
A futures order must be designated as a day order or an open order.
Prospective Plantings Report
The USDA releases the Prospective Plantings report at the end of March each year. The report tells us how many acres are expected to be planted of each crop for the upcoming season.
Reality of Commodity Brokers
Commodity brokers are expected to make money for their clients. What else should you expect from your commodity broker?
The Commitments of Traders Bib
The Commitments of Traders Bible by Stephen Briese teaches readers how to interpret and trade the COT reports.
Hot Commodities by Jim Rogers
Book review of Hot Commodities – How Anyone Can Invest Profitably in the World’s Best Market by Jim Rogers. The author covers the basis the the new bull market in commodities and how long he expects it to last.
COT Reports
Description of the Commitments of Traders Report that is used in the futures markets.
In The Money Options
In the money options for commodities and futures. Covering a definition, description and example of in the money options.
Trading By The Book
Book review of Trading By The Book by Joe Ross. The book details trading methods for commodities and futures from the many years of trading experience of Joe Ross.
Entries and Exits
Book review of Entries and Exits - Visits to Sixteen Trading Rooms by Dr. Alexander Elder. Interviews of sixteen traders of commodities, futures, stocks and options. They discuss their trading strategies and trades, while Dr Elder analyzes their trades.
Put Option
Put option definition and uses in trading commodities and futures.
Commodity Trading Records
Keep good records of your activity when trading commodities. Learn how and why you should keep track of your commodity trades.
Selling Options
An explanation of selling options in the futures and commodities markets. Selling futures options is an option strategy used by many professional commodity traders.
Losing A Million Dollars
Book review of What I Learned Losing A Million Dollars by Jim Paul and Brendan Moynihan. The book is a real life story of a commodity trader who lost $1.6 million dollars trading commodities. The story is entertaining, but the focus of the book is what he learned from the process, which may be invaluable to many commodity traders.
Buying a System
There are many issues involved in buying a commodity trading system including: hypothetical returns, actual returns and why someone would sell a profitable system.
Commodity Trading System
Learn the basics of creating a commodity trading system including: markets to trade, entry rules, exit rules, money management, stop losses and an example of a simple commodity trading system.
Three Skills of Top Trading
Book review of The Three Skills of Top Trading by Hank Pruden. The review covers the Wyckoff Method and how the author implements his trading strategies.
Mastering the Trade
In Mastering the Trade, John Carter discusses trading strategies for commodities and stocks with a detailed trading plan.
WD Gann -Treasure Discovered
Book Review of WD Gann Treasure Discovered – Simple Trading Plans for Stocks and Commodities by Robert Krausz. The book details trading plans created by WD Gann and refined by Robert Krausz.
The Logical Trader
Book review of The Logical Trader by Mark Fisher. The book details the ACD Trading Method that Mark Fisher has been using as a professional commodity trader.
Call Option
Definition of a Call Option for trading in the futures and commodity markets.
Out Of The Money Options
Out of the money options for commodities and futures. Covering a definition, description and example of out of the money options.
Book Review: Option Volatility
Book review of The New Option Secret – Volatility: The Weapon of the Professional Trader and the Most Important Indicator in Option Trading by David Caplan. The review covers utilizing volatilty in your futures option trading strategies to increase your odds of success.
Commodity Brokers Sales Pitch
Some commodity brokers will use a high pressure sales pitch to get prospective commodity traders to open an account. You should recognize the signs and avoid these commodity brokers.
Psychology of Trading
Book review of Psychology of Trading. The book contains 28 articles that help traders deal with the mental issues of trading.
Open Interest
Open Interest is the amount of outstanding futures contracts.
Strike Price
The definition of a strike price in commodities and futures options.
Encyclopedia of Chart Patterns
Book Review of Encyclopedia of Chart Patterns Second Edition by Thomas Bulkowski. The author compiled in-depth research on technical chart patterns and rates the success of each pattern.
Intrinsic Value
Definition and description of intrinsic value for trading futures options.
Investing in Managed Futures
The details of investing in managed futures including CTAs, past performance, disclosure documents and futures trading strategies.
NFA Helps Protect Investors
The National Futures Association regulates the futures industry and helps protect investors from fraudulent activity.
Commodity Fundamentals by Rona
Book Review of Commodity Fundamentals - How To Trade the Precious Metals, Energy, Grain, and Tropical Commodity Markets by Ronald C. Spurga. The book covers the fundamentals of commodity fundamentals.
About - Commodities Buyer's Guide
Find Guide reviews, top picks, and advice you can use before you buy.
Commodity Trading Systems
Commodity trading systems are a mechanical or computerized means of trading the commodities and futures markets.
Book Review
Book review of The Four Biggest Mistakes in Futures Trading by Jay Kaeppel.
Book Review - Market Rap
Book review of Market Rap - The Odyssey of a Still-Struggling Commodity Trader by Art Collins. Explains the story a commodity trader who left a comfortable, yet boring job to become a commodity trader at the Chicago Board of Trade.
Underlying
Definition of underlying in commodities and futures trading.
Bear Market
Bear Market definition and description as it pertains to the commodity and futures markets.
Time Premium
The definition, decsription and an example of time premium in futures and commodity options.
CFTC Funding for 2008
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission received $112 million in funding for 2008.
Commercial
Definition of a commercial entity in the commodity markets.
Jesse Livermore
Book Review of Reminiscences of a Stock Operator by Edwin Lefevre. The book covers the trading exploites of legendary trader Jesse Livermore. He was one of the best traders in stocks and commodities in the early 1900s.
Futures Contract
Description of a futures contract in the futures and commodities markets.

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