Let's discuss commodities; with the latest Enron situation, it is important to understand the way things work. A commodity is anything useful, especially a transportable agricultural product or mining product. This comes from the Latin word "commoditas" meaning roughly advantage, convenience. So then what is a commodity? Well we consider Gold, Silver, wheat, corn, pork bellies, coffee, etc all commodities. If you look in the back of the WSJ or Investors Business Daily you will see a listing of all the commodities traded on the commodities exchange. Enron made some errors no doubt, but let's not judge all commodity markets in haste.
Commodity trading works best when there is a stable instrument of trade. Sometimes the instrument of trade is actually the commodity. If you looked most countries of the world today you would find that there are three basic instruments of trade; money, as in currency, precious metals and gems, drugs; like cocaine, opium, and arms, like grenade launchers, RPGs, bullets, machine guns, WMD, tanks, and surface to air handheld rockets. Yes, this can have horrible human rights issues, but we are discussing this from a theoretical standpoint, not condemning the obvious problems with mankind.
Many countries without a stabilized currency are trading everything in arms and drugs. Even human sex slaves and other unfortunate means; a travesty, which cannot be argued. The commodity trading of cultural products is of necessity to stabilize prices and to feed the world and help in the planning and allocation of funds for future needs. If a farmer cannot make an honest living farming a field then microeconomics tells us that eventually he'll exit the marketplace. When there is a need for a product such as corn, sugar, oil, etc. and that need is so important to the people buying it, then they will be willing to pay in advance a certain price for it, so they can guarantee they will get it. For instance Kellogg's needs sugar to fulfill the needs of their customers who will buy pop tarts. If they do not get the sugar the cannot produce the pop tarts. Everyone loves pop tarts, but if Kellogg has sugar than they cannot make the pop tarts to sell you at Wal-Mart. Kelloggs can due to commodities markets buy in advance and at a known price prior to the harvest of the sugar necessary to produce my Brown Sugar Cinamon Pop Tarts. Think about it.
"Lance Winslow" - If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.worldthinktank.net/wttbbs
best value cleaning service Park Ridge ...I cringe every time I hear a novice investor tell... Read More
Sometime in the third quarter of 1997, someone told me... Read More
Economists know more about how the fragments of society work... Read More
At some time in your life you have been on... Read More
A Guide to Using Stop Loss Orders Stop losses are... Read More
What the heck am I talking about?It is often said... Read More
Have you ever thought of investing? Do you have a... Read More
What does it mean to short a stock?This means that... Read More
There are many good penny stock investments available, which could... Read More
For weeks, no, months we have been bombarded with nothing... Read More
Have you been listening to the talking heads on CNBC-TV?... Read More
(1) Stock Market is Tough Place to Make Any Money... Read More
I made my very first investment in the stock market... Read More
Let's assume that you want to make some serious money... Read More
Stocks breakout from properly formed bases everyday but many investors... Read More
What does it take to be a stock trader? It... Read More
Ever turn down a street, get half way and suddenly... Read More
It takes a total mental commitment to the task. It... Read More
You have a lock on your house. You have a... Read More
This is a guide to the different types of mutual... Read More
Four blind men were asked to give a description of... Read More
We've all heard of the stock market and probably have... Read More
The basis of diminishing return discussions surround such simple notions;... Read More
You may have wondered why your mutual funds have been... Read More
You probably have been told that options are risky. Even... Read More
bedroom cleaning professionals Northbrook ...Profitable day traders recognize that momentum trading is among the... Read More
During the month of January the Dow Jones Industrial Average,... Read More
You remember (they show it on TV every year) the... Read More
A colleague of mine just returned from a scuba diving... Read More
Much like the middle child, mid-cap stocks have long struggled... Read More
Every day I hear from the "experts" on CNBC-TV and... Read More
You have a lock on your house. You have a... Read More
How often have you come across an advertisement or e-mail... Read More
Well maybe that's overstating it a little, but it's certainly... Read More
Let's hope you did not have any of the Enron... Read More
You remember the story about the frog that was put... Read More
When will the stock market stop going down and start... Read More
Reduce your investing and stock market risks by:Setting your sights... Read More
Just about now everyone is confused as to which way... Read More
Most advisors will tell you they can beat the market.... Read More
You should ignore analysts on TV, the radio, the newspaper... Read More
You've decided to try your luck at trading stocks or... Read More
Why? Because I am going to shatter your conventional wisdom... Read More
We have two candidates for president that have really different... Read More
At some time in your life you have been on... Read More
Carefully thinking through your goal as a trader is of... Read More
Have you ever thought of investing? Do you have a... Read More
I love roller coasters. The steeper the better. High and... Read More
In November of 2000 when the NASDAQ was trading at... Read More
You must take the time once a month to review... Read More
Stocks & Mutual Fund |