Investing in Commodities For Dummies. Amine Bouchentouf

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      Amine Bouchentouf

      Investing in Commodities For Dummies

      Investing in Commodities For Dummies®

      Published by: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774, www.wiley.com

      Copyright © 2016 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey

      Published simultaneously in Canada

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      Library of Congress Control Number: 2015951693

      ISBN 978-1-119-12201-2 (pbk); ISBN 978-1-119-12203-6 (ePub); ISBN 978-1-119-12202-9 (ePDF)

      Introduction

      Why are commodities, long regarded as an inferior asset class, quickly moving to the investing mainstream? Good performance. Investors like to reward good performance, and commodities have performed well in recent years. In addition, investors can more easily access these markets: Plenty of new investment vehicles, from exchange-traded funds (ETFs) to master limited partnerships (MLPs), have been introduced to satisfy investor demand.

      As commodities have been generating more interest, there’s a large demand for a product to help average investors get a grip on the market fundamentals. Commodities as an asset class have been plagued by a lot of misinformation, and it’s sometimes difficult to separate fact from fiction or outright fantasy. The aim of Investing in Commodities For Dummies is to help you figure out what commodities are all about and, more important, develop an intelligent investment strategy to profit in this market. Of course, as with every other asset class, commodities are subject to market swings and disruptions, which can be a source of risk but also an opportunity. As the 2008 Global Financial Crisis demonstrated, even the savviest investors with the latest up-to-date market information can struggle with unique investment events.

      These disruptions are part of the market process. Investors who protect themselves through a “margin of safety” philosophy will be able to protect their downside during periods of extreme volatility. Using this book, you’ll better equip yourself to avoid the pitfalls inherent in any investment activity.

      About This Book

      My aim in writing Investing in Commodities For Dummies is to offer you a comprehensive guide to the commodities markets and show you a number of investment strategies to help you profit in this market. You don’t have to invest in just crude oil or gold futures contracts to benefit. You can trade ETFs, invest in companies that process commodities such as uranium, buy precious metals ownership certificates, or invest in master limited partnerships. The commodities markets are global in nature, and so are the investment opportunities. My goal is to help you uncover these global opportunities and offer you investment ideas and tools to unlock and unleash the power of the commodities markets. Best of all, I do all of this in plain English!

      Anyone who’s been around commodities, even for a short period of time, realizes that folks in the business are prone to engage in linguistic acrobatics. Words like molybdenum, backwardation, and contango are thrown around like “hello” and “thank you.” Sometimes these words seem intimidating and confusing. Don’t be intimidated. Language is powerful, after all, and getting a grip on the concepts behind the words is critical, especially if you want to come out ahead in the markets. That’s why I use everyday language to explain even the most abstract and arcane concepts.

      Icons Used in This Book

      One of the pleasures of writing a For Dummies book is that you get to use all sorts of fun, interactive tools to highlight or illustrate a point. Here are some icons that I use throughout the book:

      

I use this icon to highlight information that you want to keep in mind or that’s referenced in other parts of the book.

      

When you see this icon, make sure that you read the accompanying text carefully: It includes information, analysis, or insight that will help you successfully implement an investment strategy.

      

I explain more technical information with this icon. The commodities markets are complex, and the vocabulary and concepts are quite tricky. You can skip these paragraphs if you just want a quick overview of the commodities world, but be sure to read them before seriously investing. They give you a better grasp of the concepts discussed.

      

Investing can be an extremely rewarding enterprise, but it can also be a hazardous endeavor if you’re not careful. I use this icon to warn you of potential pitfalls. Stay alert for these icons because they contain information that may help you avoid losing money.

      Beyond the Book

      In addition to all the material you can find in the book you’re reading right now, this product also comes with some access-anywhere goodies on the web. Check out the eCheat Sheet at www.dummies.com/cheatsheet/investingincommodities for helpful insights and details about the benefits of diversification, how to decipher public disclosure forms, and the major influencer of oil markets.

      Where to Go from Here

      I’ve organized this book in a way that gives you the most accurate and relevant information related to investing in general and commodity investing in particular. The book is modular in nature, meaning that although it reads like a book from start to finish, you can read one chapter or even a section at a time without needing to read the whole book to understand the topic that’s discussed.

      If