Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    The Commodities Investor: A beginner's guide to diversifying your portfolio with commodities
    The Commodities Investor: A beginner's guide to diversifying your portfolio with commodities
    The Commodities Investor: A beginner's guide to diversifying your portfolio with commodities
    Ebook182 pages2 hours

    The Commodities Investor: A beginner's guide to diversifying your portfolio with commodities

    By Philip Scott

    5/5

    ()

    Read preview

    About this ebook

    In the last decade the performance of commodity assets has been remarkable. Rising demand for raw materials from emerging economies, political and economic disruptions to production and supply, and the introduction of commodities exchange traded funds (ETFs) have combined to push up the cost of the globe's resources. In many of the commodities markets prices rose to record levels, only to fall again sharply in the 2007-2009 financial crisis.
    But many experts believe that the bull-run in commodities is not yet finished and it is argued that prices could continue to rise well into the next decade. This presents opportunities for investors, but what is the best way to capitalise on these opportunities?
    The aim of this book is to help investors understand the fundamentals behind the major commodities in the primary resource sectors - energy, base metals, precious metals and agriculture - and to show the value of commodities as a means to diversify exposure and spread risk.
    The individual commodities within the four sectors are examined in turn, with an analysis of historic price performance, an outline of the supply and demand dynamics, and a discussion on the future outlook for each resource. In each case the best and safest routes for gaining exposure to the four main sectors are explained, and a full list of commodity ETFs listed on the London Stock Exchange is also provided.
    The book provides the investor with both the rationale for diversifying part of an investment portfolio into commodities and the basic knowledge required in order to invest successfully in these exciting and ever changing sectors.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarriman House
    Release dateJun 3, 2010
    ISBN9780857190284
    The Commodities Investor: A beginner's guide to diversifying your portfolio with commodities
    Author

    Philip Scott

    A history and politics graduate from University College Dublin, following the completion of his MA in Film and a subsequent short stint working in television, Philip Scott moved from his native Dublin to London in 1999, where he went on to study journalism. Philip has worked in financial journalism for the past six years. He began his career on specialist titles such as Investment Week, Money Marketing and Bloomberg Money before moving to The Sunday Times and then subsequently to the Daily Mail Group's hugely popular personal finance website www.thisismoney.co.uk where he covers pensions and tax as well as investment issues.

    Related to The Commodities Investor

    Related ebooks

    Investments & Securities For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      Maybe Too Cheap?

      Jul 24, 2020

      Maybe Too Cheap?
      1 min read

    • Article

      Are You Gambling or Investing? Here’s How to Tell

      Mar 2, 2021

      Investing in the stock market over many decades offers most people an incredible opportunity to build wealth. Does that surprise you? If so, you’re not alone. Over the course of my career as a financial planner, I’ve found that many people look at th

      4 min read

    • Article

      Breakout Is Possible

      Jan 10, 2020

      Breakout Is Possible
      1 min read

    • Article

      What I Learned from Losing $200 Million: The 2008 financial crisis taught me about the illusion of control, and how to give it up.

      Dec 24, 2015

      I’d lost almost $200 million in October. November wasn’t looking any better. It was 2008, after the Lehman Brothers bankruptcy. Markets were in turmoil. Banks were failing left and right. I worked at a major investment bank, and while I didn’t think

      15 min read

    • Article

      The Currency Risk

      Aug 6, 2018

      The Currency Risk
      5 min read

    • Article

      How To Invest For A Recession

      Aug 1, 2022

      A sharp decline in the stock market is often an indicator of an impending recession – that is, a temporary period of economic decline. With the S&P 500 Index falling 1,000 points, or about one-fifth, from January through June, a consensus is emerging

      4 min read

    • Article

      My Investing Misstep

      Mar 8, 2018

      Back in June 2000, this magazine ran an article titled "True Confessions," which related the tale of one editor's foray into the dark excesses of the dot-com-era stock market. The author, who chose to remain anonymous, confessed not only to investing

      2 min read

    • Article

      A Conversation with a Short Seller

      Aug 18, 2020

      A short seller leads a lonely life, it seems. Short sellers profit from stocks that decline in value. So, when they win, it means that most of their friends and family are likely losing. And when they lose? Well … they don't generally get a lot of sy

      4 min read

    • Article

      The Practical Investor Packs It In

      Mar 7, 2019

      When I first saw the Disney movie The Little Mermaid, I was captured by a line uttered by the villainous sea witch, who taunted the heroine to give up her prized possession (her voice) in exchange for the legs she yearned for. "Life's full of tough c

      2 min read

    • Article

      Change In Sentiment

      Oct 2, 2020

      Change In Sentiment
      1 min read

    • Article

      10 Best ETFs to Buy for an All-Weather Portfolio

      Aug 30, 2018

      It used to be that investors asked themselves the question, "How many mutual funds should I have in my portfolio?" They still ask the same question of diversification, but more in terms of exchange-traded funds (ETFs). A portfolio of just two ETFs mi

      7 min read

    • Article

      Hedge Funds' 21 Top Blue-Chip Stocks to Buy Now

      Aug 29, 2022

      Hedge funds as a group have a poor long-term track record, but there's still something irresistible about knowing what the putative smart money has been up to.  Besides, you've got to give them credit where credit is due. Hedge funds as a group might

      1 min read

    • Article

      Discipline Goes A Long Way

      Mar 31, 2022

      The life of a trader is not what most of us might imagine it to be – that is, glamorous, exciting and paved with gold. More likely it is solitary, private, a bit boring and, when done right, provides a living. We could all be traders. We could all be

      5 min read

    • Article

      A Little Hedging Can Go a Long Way to Protect Your Retirement Savings

      Jun 10, 2020

      "Don't worry, the market always comes back." If you haven't heard this comment yet -- from a well-meaning friend or co-worker, or maybe a concerned financial professional -- you almost surely will. We're all hoping for the best but bracing for the w

      4 min read

    • Article

      Picking Stocks: It's Okay to Go With Your Gut

      Aug 1, 2019

      There are four ways to invest in stocks. You can buy a low-cost index fund, with holdings that reflect an entire market or a broad swath of one. You can buy a managed fund, hiring an expert to do the stock picking. You can conscientiously study data

      5 min read

    • Article

      7 Best Value Stocks for the 'Great Rotation'

      Nov 12, 2020

      Investors have been waiting for value stocks to catch up to growth stocks for a decade now, and some think they're seeing signs of the long-awaited rotation from pricey stocks to cheap ones. Value stocks had a heady few days in the second week of Nov

      1 min read

    • Article

      Sa’s Top Equity Funds

      Oct 8, 2021

      Sa’s Top Equity Funds
      8 min read

    • Article

      Learn How To Spot A Rip-off

      Feb 24, 2021

      Learn How To Spot A Rip-off
      3 min read

    • Article

      The 11 Reits In My Portfolio

      Aug 13, 2021

      I take the view that fears about the future of offices and retail are overdone – people will work from home more and many weak retail companies will go bust, but good-quality space will still remain in demand. Rents may drop in some cases, but Reit s

      2 min read

    • Article

      Life Imitates Farce In Cryptoland

      Nov 12, 2021

      The popularity of Shiba Inu coin, a cryptocurrency which was launched as a joke version of Dogecoin – itself a joke cryptocurrency, or “memecoin” – is now encouraging crypto owners to buy the Japanese hunting dog breed (pictured) the coin is named af

      1 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for The Commodities Investor

    5/5

    1 rating0 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

      Book preview

      The Commodities Investor - Philip Scott

      Copyright

      HARRIMAN HOUSE LTD

      3A Penns Road

      Petersfield

      Hampshire

      GU32 2EW

      GREAT BRITAIN

      Tel: +44 (0)1730 233870

      Fax: +44 (0)1730 233880

      Email: enquiries@harriman-house.com

      Website: www.harriman-house.com

      First published in Great Britain in 2010

      Copyright © Harriman House Ltd

      The right of Philip Scott to be identified as Author has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Design and Patents Act 1988.

      ISBN: 978-0-85719-028-4

      British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

      A CIP catalogue record for this book can be obtained from the British Library.

      All rights reserved; no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior written permission of the Publisher. This book may not be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise disposed of by way of trade in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published without the prior written consent of the Publisher.

      No responsibility for loss occasioned to any person or corporate body acting or refraining to act as a result of reading material in this book can be accepted by the Publisher or by the Author.

      For Ella

      Acknowledgements

      I would like to thank Harriman House for their assistance and support, especially Stephen Eckett, Craig Pearce and Myles Hunt.

      And to the following individuals for extending their time, knowledge and research: Emma Phillips and the commodities team at BlackRock, Nicholas Brookes at ETF Securities, Barclays Capital, Ian Henderson at J.P. Morgan Asset Management, Mick Gilligan at Killik & Co, Mark Dampier, Ben Yearsley, and Meera Patel at Hargreaves Lansdown, Justin Urquhart Stewart at Seven Investment Management, and Darius McDermott at Chelsea Financial Services.

      I would also like to thank Andrew Oxlade, Adrian Lowery, Ed Monk, Simon Lambert, Richard Browning, James Hicking, Alan O’Sullivan, Gillian Bevis and T. Evans as well as Simon Moon and Richard Dyson, Jo Thornhill, Toby Walne and Helen Loveless at the Financial Mail.

      I would also like to thank Karen Wagg, Justin Modray, Anna Bowes, Vanessa Chance, Katie Hayward, Kevin Carr, Alison Merrigan, Lyndsay Haywood, Paul Gosker, Ian Patterson, Johanna Gornitzki, Nicole Blackmore, Jo Fox, James Smith, Paul Shaffer, Catherine Barnett, Francesca Pattison and Justine Fisher, Charles and Sarah Scott, Des Scott and Judy Abassi, John Lappin, Nicola York, James Salmon, Sam Shaw, Amanda Smith, James Phillipps and Gregor Watt.

      And special thanks to Jenne Mannion, Susie Tempest, Gerry K. Glennon, Barbara J. Walshe, George and Julia Stuart, and Elizabeth Grace and Dominic Green.

      Preface

      What the book covers

      This book deals with investing in commodities – the resources of the world. It examines what is involved when it comes to investing in this unique but volatile asset class.

      An in-depth look is taken at the major resources within the energy, precious metals, industrial metals and agricultural sectors, including:

      Each section outlines what investors need to know: the basic information for each commodity, the performance history and the outlook for the future are examined, as well as the easiest ways in which to invest.

      The investment vehicles referenced in this book are typically funds that have been mentioned, as expert recommendations, on a number of occasions when I have been writing about commodities as a journalist. I have chosen to focus on funds and exchange traded funds/exchange traded commodities as the main means of investing as I believe they are the simplest, most cost-efficient route for investors into the world of commodities. They are an ideal way of creating a diversified commodity portfolio.

      Some of the funds here may invest in just one area, for example in energy related stocks, which could include investments in the shares of companies involved in the oil and natural gas industries. The majority of funds, however, will have a spread of investments across commodities – they will have exposure to areas such as agriculture, base metals, precious metals and energy investments.

      Who the book is for

      The book is written for individuals who already have some experience of investing but are looking at new ways in which to expand and diversify their portfolios – in this case, with commodities. It may also be of potential interest to those who have not yet invested at all, but are keen to learn about investing in commodities and the driving forces behind the world of resources.

      The book should be treated as an introduction to the world of investing in commodities – its aim is to explain the long-term prospects for the commodities, in broad terms. Successful investing should always be regarded as a long-term strategy (five to ten years at least) and as such this book is not designed for short-term traders.

      How the book is structured

      The book starts by describing the macro view of commodities and why they are such big news. It also has a detailed description of what type of funds you can use to gain exposure to this asset class as well as guidance on investing.

      The main part of the book looks at the most important commodities within the four major resource sectors: energy, precious metals, agriculture and industrial metals. Each section contains an overview of each sector, dedicated individual chapters on each commodity covered and then sections on how to invest. The commodities highlighted are those which have tended to dominate the headlines and investor interest in recent years – with oil and gold being obvious examples.

      So for example, the energy section of the book contains a macro-overview of the sector, which is followed by individual and detailed chapters on oil and natural gas. These chapters are then followed by a section on how you can best invest in the energy sector. The sections on precious metals, industrial metals and agriculture follow the same structure.

      A note on price charts

      Throughout this book charts showing the price history of commodities and indices are used. Unless otherwise stated, commodities are represented on the charts by a thick line, and the FTSE 100 index is represented by a thin, dashed line.

      Introduction

      The Commodities Super Cycle

      In 1998 Jim Rogers, ex-partner of George Soros, began talking about the potential for commodities. Commodity prices were then at low levels not seen since the Great Depression and, according to Rogers, the time had come to invest in them.

      But at the time the world wasn’t interested. People wanted to talk about Worldcom, Enron and Pets.com. However, over the following decade commodity prices soared, outperforming by a wide margin equities, bonds and most other asset classes.

      This boom in commodity prices came to be called the Commodity Super Cycle. Jim Rogers says that commodity cycles have historically lasted 15 years, and as this current cycle started around 2000 we’re still in the middle of it. [¹] In fact, in October 2009 Rogers said:

      I don't see any adequate supply situation in any commodity market over the next decade or two. The commodities boom is not over and the bull market has several years to go. [²]

      There are two fundamental factors that are seen as the drivers of this Super Cycle.

      The first is the expected growth of the world’s population. At the moment, the globe’s population is growing at a rate of 76m people annually; by 2050 the population is forecast to be 9.1bn (up from 6.5bn today). Not only are the raw numbers increasing but consumption patterns are changing. For example, as people in emerging markets become richer they consume more; they buy cars and change their eating habits to more resource-intensive diets. Such a growing population in a world

      Enjoying the preview?
      Page 1 of 1