Trading Commodities and Financial Futures: A Step-by-Step Guide to Mastering the Markets, Third Edition

Agricultures

Futures were invented in sixteenth century Japan in the rice trade, and the agricultural markets continued to dominate futures trading throughout the first 70 years of the previous century. Today, agriculture accounts for less than a quarter of global futures trade. Agriculture is, however, still important with the two Chicago exchanges (the CBOT and the CME) dominating this sector.

Grains and soybeans

All living things require fat, protein, and carbohydrates for survival. While meat is generally thought of as the predominate protein source, much of the world's human population, and a majority of the world's livestock populations, obtain their protein from the soybean. Corn is the predominate carbohydrate source used for animal feed. ...