Top Resources to Use if You are Into Natural Resources Trading – Introduction

In recent articles, I have written on commodities and how to trade the trillion a day market. As I have pointed before, the key to be a successful commodities trader is to understand the supply and demand dynamics. In this article, I will highlight some of the best resources you should use when trading commodities to know the supply and demand.

Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFTC)

The CFTC is the regulator for the commodities futures trading in the United States. It is like the SEC but for commodities futures. The commission has all the data from the biggest exchanges like the CME and CBOE. Every Friday, the commission releases the Commitment of Traders (COT) report. This is a report that shows the positions initiated by large banks, hedge funds, and traders in the market. You can use this data to forecast how these traders have placed their orders.

Energy Information Administration (EIA)

The EIA is a US government agency that studies the energy market. The agency has all the data from miners in the country. Every week, the agency releases data on the inventories or the stockpiles of the US crude oil. The data is released every Wednesday and often tends to move the crude prices. As a trader, you should carefully follow the data and visit the agency for its other resources.

In addition to the EIA, you can get important clues on demand and supply from the OPEC. This is the largest oil group in the world. It is made up of the biggest oil exporting countries except the US and Russia. Every month, the organization publishes data on supply and demand that too moves the crude oil markets.

Another important crude oil data source is the American Petroleum Institute (API), which is the biggest oil body in the US. It has more than 10 million members. Every week, it also publishes key data on stocks that supplements the government data.

Department of Agriculture

The US Department of Agriculture is a major source of credible data on production of key crops. Every month, the department releases the World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE). This is a closely followed report that shows the supply and demand dynamics of main agricultural and livestock commodities. Often, the price of the commodities tend to move in the direction of the WASDE report.

International Copper Alliance

The Copper Alliance is the largest association for copper miners. Its members include copper giants like Anglo American, Glencore, BHP Billiton, and Rio Tinto among others. It regularly publishes data on copper, which can help traders understand the underlying issues affecting the industry.

World Cocoa Association

The World Cocoa Association is the largest association of cocoa producing countries. The biggest of these countries are Ivory Coast and Ghana. With the cocoa prices falling, the association is working to be the OPEC of cocoa. By this, they can reduce supply when the prices are lower to boost the prices. If you are interested in the cocoa market, you should take time to study the World Cocoa Association data.