Futures, Commodities, & Options

The derivatives markets have exploded in popularity, trading volume, and complexity over the years, providing more investing and trading choices than ever before. Whether making a directional bet, volatility play, or hedging risk, derivatives allow you to calibrate every position to maximize profit and minimize risk. Learn powerful analysis methods, diverse trade set-ups, and execution techniques from top professional investors and traders.

Articles on Futures, Commodities, & Options

One of the key trends I see continuing in 2026 is the outperformance of precious metals like gold and silver. But lost in the shuffle has been platinum, which has typically traded at higher prices than gold in recent decades. Accordingly, my top pick for 2026 is Platinum Group Metals Ltd. (PLG), explains Clif Droke, editor of Cabot Turnaround Letter.
I am repeating my growth pick from last year, Lara Exploration (LRA.CA). The small exploration company focuses on Latin America and is advancing its main copper project, Planalto in northern Brazil, towards a sale, highlights Adrian Day, editor of Global Analyst.
Was last week the wildest week in the metals market…ever? It sure looked and felt that way! But what does it mean longer-term if you’re a metals trader or investor?
While spot silver ETFs remain the simplest way to gain exposure to the metal, more aggressive investors often turn to silver mining ETFs for embedded leverage. Here’s what to know about the Global X Silver Miners ETF (SIL) and the Amplify Junior Silver Miners ETF (SILJ), advises Tony Dong, lead ETF analyst at Option Strategist.
Last week, I reiterated my bullish stance on gold. You’ve no doubt seen silver soaring to incredible new highs as well. But the metals mania doesn’t stop there. Take copper, which unlike the two major precious metals, is completely reliant on its utility in various business applications, writes Nilus Mattive, editor of Safe Money Report.
After a mixed day on Friday, stocks are flattish in early trading today. Precious metals are rocketing higher again, while the US dollar is sliding. Treasuries are up a bit, while energy markets are mixed.
It happened, folks. Silver prices blew through $100 an ounce for the first time ever in Friday’s session. Meanwhile, gold got within twenty bucks of another big, round number - $5,000 - then topped it today. So…what’s next?
Equities are slipping in late-week trading, while precious metals are threatening to break above key levels. Crude oil is higher as well, while natural gas is holding most of this week’s big gains. Treasuries and the dollar are flat.
The chase is clearly back on, after vols have mildly reset. The iShares Russell 2000 ETF (IWM) made new-all time highs Wednesday, as did the VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH). That's not something that happens in the midst of a risk-off spasm. If the S&P 500 Index (^SPX) moves back below 6,890, we flip back to risk-off, writes Brent Kochuba, founder of SpotGamma.
After the worst day for the S&P 500 Index (^SPX) in three months, equities are trying to find their footing today. Gold is rising (again), while bonds and the US dollar are attempting to stabilize. Bitcoin continued its recent slump from $95,000, recently trading around $89,000.

Experts on Futures, Commodities, & Options

Virtual Learning

Join this live session with Peter Thomas as he goes over the massive changes occuring in the metals market and what this means for investors.

By now you've heard that AI, data centers, and the Magnificent 7 are responsible for Wall Street's spectacular gains over the past three years. You might also know that silver was the superstar in 2025, having tripled in price. Are you aware that Peru and clean energy were some of the super performers, with gains of over 100% and 55%, respectively? This pretty much rounds-up the hot picks we selected for 2025. Will they continue to perform in 2026, or are there new areas to lean into? What about bitcoin? Are we headed for a Crypto Winter?

Say, you are evaluating an AI-based platform that someone on your team highly recommends. How do you validate the system performance when you don't know what's inside the "box"? This talk will focus on an innovative methodology developed by Irene Aldridge to efficiently "unbox" an AI model. Gain confidence in dealing with AI models going forward. The talk will be based on a paper by Irene Aldridge available here.

As we are likely approaching the end of a long-term cycle in both the equity and metals markets, Avi will outline how he sees the market topping out and where he expects the next bear market to take us  

In this session, Carley Garner will share her market analysis on commodities such as gold, silver, crude oil, natural gas, and more. She will also share actionable trading ideas and present educational examples of how to use various strategies for speculating or hedging price risk 

Gold jumped 30 dollars today! Was it Putin or the Chinese Central Bank buying? Could it have been the dollar’s collapse on the world markets? Listen to Peter Thomas discuss what makes the World of Gold really trade.

Since May 2, 1988, Henry Weingarten has been the Managing Director of the ASTROLOGERS FUND. In addition to utilizing fundamental and technical analysis, he employs astrology as the primary tool to oversee investment fundsOne area of expertise is precious metals as cosmic value investor. His many accurate calls first began with a prescient MAJOR Sell on Bre-X Minerals two weeks before its collapse in 1997In 1980, he recommended selling silver at 49+. Currently (7/28/2025) he is short Gold 3500. “To make more money with less risk” he advises pair trading and timing/trading markets in addition to long term buy and hold for quality precious metal stocks. 

Bitcoin Was Our 2024 Investment of the Year. Our Ethereum ETF doubled in 4 months (since April). Silver and Peru (copper) are the best performers YTD (even better than Bitcoin & Ethereum), with 50% and 45% gains, respectively. With all of these trading near all-time highs, should you buy high, hoping to sell higher? Is there a better strategy? What is the outlook for stocks and safe havens going forward? As importantly, how can we eliminate the capital gains exposure of crypto currencies? The session will include a chart of sector returns, including the Magnificent 7. 

Gold is the leader of a commodity Supercycle that began in 2020 and is still in its early stages. In contrast, Bitcoin is the proxy leader of an infotech Supercycle that began in 2002 and will likely end around 2027. Therefore, gold and precious metals have a brighter long-term future than Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies. 

More money equals more freedom, and in the current market, there is perhaps no better sector delivering that freedom than cryptocurrencies and commodities. In this presentation, market expert Jim Woods shows you how to trade the crypto and commodities markets using stocks, options, and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) to achieve market-beating returns. 

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The growth of financial futures has been one of the most remarkable success stories in the markets. Their age is relatively green at just a little over 50 years old. Originally created to help farmers hedge against price changes between crop planting and harvesting, futures have grown since then to include interest rates, foreign exchange, metals, energy, weather, and even Bitcoin.

Whether trading agricultural commodities, energy futures, metals, stock indexes, or even the softs; futures provide the best bang for your buck. But leverage is a two-sided blade. In this section, MoneyShow.com trading experts provide a deep dive into the current futures market activity and price action to help you find ways to strengthen your portfolio, while mitigating risk and exploiting opportunities in these diverse markets.

Discover unique and critical futures trading strategies to help you generate more consistent profits and better manage your portfolio risk. From in-depth futures market economics to spread trading, you will take away new knowledge to help you better identify trading opportunities. Our contributors will share with you their time-tested commodities investing strategies and futures trading strategies. The insights you will learn will help you in your investing or trading with market intelligence that you cannot find elsewhere.

At the same time, the opportunities now available to individual traders in the option arena are astounding, having exploded in volume and complexity in recent years, offering option traders the ability to trade, hedge, or speculate in just about any stock, ETF, or commodity.

Our goal in these pages is to start you down the path of options trading and help you avoid many of the pitfalls that beginning options traders experience. Some of the top names in trading will familiarize you with options—what they are, how they work, and what opportunities they present. You’ll learn practical knowledge about when it is appropriate to buy/sell puts or calls, covered-call writing strategies, and advice on when to use each of these strategies. More experienced traders will learn profitable options trading strategies to help you make more money and better manage your portfolio risk.