Commodities & commodities futures trading

What is commodities trading?

Commodities trading is the buying and selling of raw materials or primary agricultural products. There are hard commodities, which are generally mined natural resources like gold or oil, and soft commodities, which are livestock or agricultural goods.

Commodities trading predates all other forms of trading, as burgeoning civilisations would barter for food and supplies. In modern times, the physical commodities market is hugely dependent on futures contracts, which enable producers (such as farmers) to secure a price from buyers in advance.

However, the sophisticated network of commodities exchanges that exists today also allows speculative traders to access the price movements of these assets in the short term – through either spot trading or commodities futures.

At Capital.com, you can trade CFDs on both spot commodity prices and futures-linked instruments, depending on how you want to engage with the market.

Why trade commodities?

Trading on commodities gives you exposure to the prices of oil, gas, metals and more, without ever having to take physical delivery of the asset or worry about storing them.

Commodities futures offer additional flexibility, enabling traders to speculate on future price movements across standardised contracts. Futures-based pricing is common in markets like crude oil, natural gas and wheat, where supply and demand expectations shift frequently.

Unlike physical futures contracts, CFDs do not require ownership of the asset or delivery at expiry – so you can go long or short on both spot prices and futures-linked instruments, closing your position whenever you choose (subject to market hours).

Many investors view commodities as a potential hedge against inflation, as their prices are not highly correlated with other assets. Gold in particular has historically been considered a safe haven, as it tends to retain its value during times of economic uncertainty.

Trading commodities also enables you to use leverage to amplify your exposure. This can magnify your profits but also your losses, as both will be based on the full value of the position.

Why trade commodities with Capital.com?

We offer CFD trading on an ever-growing range of commodities and futures-based instruments, giving you exposure to price movements without having to buy the asset outright.

We provide spot pricing on popular commodities and exposure to futures-derived markets, giving you flexibility in how and when you trade.

Identify potential entry and exit points with our smart, intuitive charting tools, and set price alerts to notify you of significant market moves.

Learn more about commodities trading.

Stay up to date with the latest commodity market news, insights and analysis.

*Stop-losses are not guaranteed. Guaranteed stop-losses incur a fee if activated.