Best Commodity Brokers of 2024

Written by BrokerNotes.co

March 14, 2024

How to Find the Best Brokers for Commodity Trading For You

Commodity Trading is the trading of a physical product that is typically bought and sold in an established financial exchange. Commodity trading can be a popular choice for traders because of the potentially increased returns (with the subsequently increased risks) offered by the high leverage usually associated with commodities.

These higher levels of leverage, coupled with the use of margin deposits where the broker essentially lends the trader the remaining portion of the actual commodity value, means a trader can make multiples of his investment if the commodity price moves in a favorable direction. These margin deposits will then usually be charged an overnight financing charge. For example, the popular CFD broker City Index will charge an overnight fee +/– 2.5% annual charge above or below the relevant base rate.

However, it is important to remember that the opposite is also true that if the market moves against the trader then their losses can be much more magnified.

For example:

1. A trader buys a commodities futures contract for gold, where the cost per ounce of gold is $1,000.
2. They agree to 2 contracts at a weight of 100 ounces per contract.
3. The full contract cost therefore totals $200,000 ($1,000 x 2 x 100).
4. The trader makes a margin deposit of 6% which totals $12,000 (0.06 x 1,000 x 2 x 100).
5. The broker is therefore technically lending them the difference of $188,000.
6. The price of gold then increases by 1% to $1010 per ounce.
7. The trader’s profit will therefore be $2000 ($1010 x 100 x 2 = $202,000 – $200,000).
8. The trader’s return on their investment will total 16.67% (2000/12000).

So, with an account balance of $12,000, the trader will have made a profit of $2000 (16.67%) with just a 1% price increase in the commodity.

However, it is important to note that if the price had fallen by the same amount, the trader would have made a loss of 16.67%, with the commodity having only suffered a 1% fall in price.

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