Commodities: from spot prices to futures

Commodities span energy, metals and agricultural products. A spot reference and a futures contract describe different exposures and should not be treated as interchangeable.

What to look for

Futures have expiry dates and contract specifications. Continuous historical series may use different roll and adjustment rules, so inspect the methodology before drawing conclusions.

Market coverage and data availability vary by instrument and exchange. This article is educational and does not constitute investment advice.