Crude oil prices recently reached their highest levels in 13 years after President Joe Biden banned all imports of Russian fossil fuels in response to the country's invasion of Ukraine. While crude oil is the main driver of global market uncertainty, a number of other commodities have also been extremely volatile since the Ukraine conflict began.
Unfortunately, commodities were already experiencing significant upward pricing pressure even before Russia entered Ukraine thanks to lingering pandemic supply chain issues, booming global demand and U.S. inflation levels at roughly 40-year highs. Here are five commodity ETFs that investors can buy if they believe inflation is here to stay.
United States Oil ETF (NYSE:USO)
The United States Oil ETF is by far the most popular way for investors to trade West Texas intermediate crude oil prices. The fund tracks front-month light sweet crude oil futures contracts, making it subject to severe contango. That contango means the fund significantly lags the price of WTI crude oil in the long-term, but it is an excellent way for traders to play oil prices in the short-term.
The USO fund has a 0.79% expense ratio, $3.2 billion in assets under management and a three-month average daily trading volume of 7.3 million, providing plenty of liquidity for investors. The USO fund is already up 47% year-to-date.
Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (NYSE:XLE)
The Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund is another option that provides diversified exposure to oil, gas and other energy prices that might be a more appealing option than the USO fund for long-term investors. The XLE fund provides investors with exposure to 23 different S&P 500 energy sector stocks, including top holdings Exxon Mobil Corp (NYSE:XOM), Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX) and EOG Resources Inc (NYSE:EOG).
Because it invests in stocks and not futures, the XLE doesn't suffer from contango like the USO fund. It also has a miniscule 0.1% expense ratio and pays a generous 3.7% dividend.
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Barclays iPath Bloomberg Nickel Subindex Total Return ETN (NYSE:JJN)
The Barclays iPath Bloomberg Nickel Subindex Total Return ETN is the best way for traders to play the extreme 2022 volatility in nickel prices. Gold prices are up 15.5% in the past year, but nickel prices have skyrocketed more than 200% in that time. Like the USO, the JJN continually rolls over nickel futures contracts, making it susceptible to underperformance due to contango over the long-term.
The fund has a 0.45% expense ratio, an AUM of $121.7 million and decent liquidity with a three-month average daily trading volume of more than 53,000 shares. The JJN fund is up 63.9% year-to-date.
Teucrium Wheat Fund (NYSE:WEAT)
The price of wheat recently surged above $12 per bushel for the first time in history. Russia and Ukraine account for a combined 29% of the global wheat trade. The Teucrium Wheat Fund is the best way for investors to trade the wild swings in wheat prices.
Like other ETFs that rely on futures contracts, the WEAT ETF suffers from contango. However, Teucrium agricultural funds attempt to minimize the impact of contango by spreading its futures holdings across multiple maturities.
The WEAT fund has a pricey 1.91% expense ratio, $86.5 million in and a three-month average daily trading volume of 2 million, providing plenty of liquidity for investors. The WEAT fund is up 44.7% year-to-date.
United States Gasoline Fund LP (NYSE:UGA)
American drivers enraged by gas prices can help alleviate their pain at the pump by holding the United States Gasoline Fund. The UGA fund's futures-based strategy makes it subject to contango, but it is a great way for short-term traders to play the extreme volatility of a U.S. gasoline price shock.
U.S. gas prices recently topped $4 per gallon, and Gas Buddy is predicting U.S. gas prices will average $3.99 for the full year. The UGA fund has even outperformed the USO fund in 2022, gaining 50.5% on the year.
