Soft Commodities

Investors interested in trading commodities have likely heard of soft commodities, but may not realize the variety of items that are available for trading. Soft commodities encompass raw materials that are generally agricultural products and livestock. Some common examples include corn, oats, soybeans, wheat, milk, cocoa, coffee, sugar, live cattle, lean hogs and feeder cattle. While soft commodities can be impacted by economic cycles, where contraction can lead to consumers spending less on certain foods, we also see soft commodities hit by sharp changes in weather. Drought and particularly rough winters will negatively impact supply and lift prices in certain soft commodities. Check out our articles on investment opportunities in soft commodities.