- What are the most promising commodities in 2025?
- Which commodities to choose based on your investor profile?
- How to buy commodities in the UK?
- Our 5 tips before buying commodities
- FAQ
In 2025, the commodities market is evolving rapidly, fuelled by shifting global demand, geopolitical uncertainties, and accelerating energy transitions. The previous year was marked by significant volatility across key asset classes, prompting many investors to search for the best opportunities as the new year unfolds. This page provides an overview of the most promising commodities based on criteria such as historical performance, market capitalisation, growth outlook, volatility, and sector trends, serving as a practical guide for both novice and seasoned investors.
Warning!
The information provided on this page is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice. Before investing in commodities, you should conduct your own thorough research, assess the associated risks, and proceed with caution. Always consider the relevant regulations. If you are unsure, please seek advice from an independent financial adviser.
What are the most promising commodities in 2025?
In 2025, the commodities market stands out for its volatility, driven by geopolitical influences, supply-demand imbalances, and shifts in global economic priorities. Investors across the UK are closely tracking assets that not only exhibit strong market adoption and liquidity but also show strategic potential for the year ahead. The following table compares the ten most prominent commodities to watch, laid out by key criteria such as supply and demand, liquidity, storage complexity, and volatility, helping inform a broad spectrum of market participants.
Asset | Supply & Demand | Liquidity | Storage | Volatility | Price Evolution |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
WTI Crude Oil | High | High | Medium | High | Upward trend |
Aluminium | Medium | High | Low | Moderate | Gradual growth |
Gold | Stable | High | Low | Low | Steady |
Copper | High | High | Low | Moderate | Upward trend |
Natural Gas | High | High | High | High | Upward trend |
Silver | Medium | High | Low | Moderate | Steady |
Platinum | Medium | Moderate | Low | Moderate | Upward trend |
Palladium | Low | Moderate | Low | High | Upward trend |
Soybeans | Medium | High | High | Moderate | Moderate up |
Wheat | Medium | High | High | Moderate | Moderate up |
WTI Crude Oil
Criterion | Description | Why it matters |
---|---|---|
🪙 Current Price (June 2025) | $75 per barrel | Indicates present market valuation |
📈 End-of-Year Forecast | $80–$90 per barrel | Shows anticipated price direction |
🏦 Market Cap | One of the largest in energy commodities | Reflects market size and liquidity |
🔄 Liquidity | Extremely high due to global trading | Ensures ease of entry and exit in trades |
📊 6-Month Performance | +10% | Shows recent price momentum |
📆 1-Year Performance | +15% | Demonstrates medium-term trend |
⏳ 5-Year Performance | +25% | Highlights asset’s resilience over time |
🏔️ 10-Year High/Low | $100 / $40 | Context for historical volatility |
🚚 Supply & Demand | Highly responsive to OPEC+ decisions | Key driver of price changes |
⚡ Volatility | High, due to geopolitics and demand fluctuations | Signals risk and potential sharp movements |
WTI Crude Oil remains a critical benchmark for the energy sector, shaped by OPEC+ supply strategies and ongoing geopolitical tensions. Throughout the past year, its price has shown considerable upward momentum, reflecting market optimism about global demand recovery.
Despite high volatility, liquidity ensures efficient trading. For 2025, energy policy, shifting (post-pandemic) consumption, and supply disruptions are central themes, making oil a closely monitored asset for both institutional and retail market players.
Aluminium
Criterion | Description | Why it matters |
---|---|---|
🪙 Current Price (June 2025) | $2,500 per metric ton | Reveals current market value |
📈 End-of-Year Forecast | $2,600–$2,900 per metric ton | Projects future price range |
🏦 Market Cap | Large, influenced by global construction & automotive | Indicates scale and adoption |
🔄 Liquidity | High on international exchanges | Allows flexibility and agility for investors |
📊 6-Month Performance | +8% | Recent price evolution |
📆 1-Year Performance | +12% | Demonstrates durability and demand |
⏳ 5-Year Performance | +20% | Offers perspective on industrial value |
🏔️ 10-Year High/Low | $3,000 / $1,500 | Shows extremes for risk context |
🚧 Storage | Simple; can be stockpiled easily | Practical for physical and futures traders |
🔥 Volatility | Moderate, tied to manufacturing trends | Helps evaluate risk |
Aluminium’s value is closely linked to industrial activity in sectors like automotive and construction. Gains in the past year point to healthy manufacturing demand and resilience to broader market headwinds.
Its high liquidity and simple storage make it attractive both for hedgers and speculative traders. Continued urbanisation and focus on sustainable materials keep aluminium on the radar for diversified commodity portfolios this 2025.
Gold
Criterion | Description | Why it matters |
---|---|---|
🪙 Current Price (June 2025) | $1,900 per ounce | Reference for safe-haven value |
📈 End-of-Year Forecast | $2,000–$2,100 per ounce | Signals expected appeal in turbulent markets |
💰 Investor Type | Defensive, long-term savers or risk-averse | Highlights gold’s role in risk management |
🏦 Market Cap | Extremely large; globally recognised | Confirms stability in volume and appeal |
🔄 Liquidity | Strong; heavily traded | Ensures ready market exit in stress |
📊 6-Month Performance | +5% | Shows resilience to short-term shocks |
📆 1-Year Performance | +10% | Demonstrates ongoing demand |
⏳ 5-Year Performance | +30% | Illustrates long-term store of value |
🏔️ 10-Year High/Low | $2,100 / $1,200 | Provides context for historical price moves |
⚡ Volatility | Low; stable compared to industrial commodities | Supports its safe-haven reputation |
Gold’s consistent demand as a store of value is reinforced by economic uncertainty, inflation concerns, and currency volatility. In 2025, central bank policy and shifts in global risk appetite underpin its steady performance.
Its low storage and transaction costs, combined with impressive market depth, make gold a foundational asset for wealth preservation, especially when broader financial markets face turbulence.
Copper
Criterion | Description | Why it matters |
---|---|---|
🪙 Current Price (June 2025) | $9,000 per metric ton | Indicates level of industrial demand |
📈 End-of-Year Forecast | $9,500–$10,000 per metric ton | Shows optimism for tech and energy use |
🏗️ Use Case | Electrical wiring, renewable tech, transport | Demonstrates broad and growing adoption |
🏦 Market Cap | Substantial, linked to infrastructure spend | Reveals exposure to global megatrends |
🔄 Liquidity | High; traded on major exchanges | Important for efficient price discovery |
📊 6-Month Performance | +7% | Captures recent uptrend in demand |
📆 1-Year Performance | +14% | Reflects surging renewable sector needs |
⏳ 5-Year Performance | +28% | Useful for confidence in longer cycles |
🏔️ 10-Year High/Low | $10,000 / $5,000 | Sets benchmarks for risk and opportunity |
🔥 Volatility | Moderate; cyclical with global economy | Highlights timing risks and return potential |
Copper is essential for the “green transition,” powering electric vehicles and renewable installations. Its price continues to respond positively to both global infrastructure upgrades and decarbonisation trends.
Demand from high-growth regions, coupled with supply constraints, sustain price appreciation prospects. As such, copper stands out as a key proxy for world industrial health in 2025.
Natural Gas
Criterion | Description | Why it matters |
---|---|---|
🪙 Current Price (June 2025) | $3.50 per MMBtu | Spot reference for the gas market |
📈 End-of-Year Forecast | $4.00–$5.00 per MMBtu | Indicates volatility and supply risk |
🌍 Supply & Demand | Tied to seasonality, economic cycles | Seasonal insight for forward planning |
🔄 Liquidity | Very high; actively traded in Europe and US | Supports quick positioning and hedging |
📊 6-Month Performance | +12% | Suggests sharp, recent market moves |
📆 1-Year Performance | +18% | Reflects energy market turbulence |
⏳ 5-Year Performance | +22% | Shows potential in active energy periods |
🏔️ 10-Year High/Low | $6 / $2 | Catches long-term risk/reward extremes |
🔥 Volatility | High; price swings on weather, storage, geopolitics | Essential for risk-aware strategies |
Natural gas is increasingly crucial in the energy mix, especially with Europe’s transition from coal and unpredictability in renewables supply. For 2025, seasonal storage levels and weather disruptions are key watchpoints.
High swings in price offer opportunities alongside risk, with both power producers and speculators active in this highly liquid market.
Silver
Criterion | Description | Why it matters |
---|---|---|
🪙 Current Price (June 2025) | $25 per ounce | Indicates dual use in tech and finance |
📈 End-of-Year Forecast | $27–$30 per ounce | Signals price drivers from both sides |
🏭 Use Case | Electronics, solar panels, jewellery | Broadened industrial & investment support |
🏦 Market Cap | Large, but smaller than gold | Reflects niche but active investor base |
🔄 Liquidity | High | Ensures efficient price formation |
📊 6-Month Performance | +6% | Recent demand stabilisation |
📆 1-Year Performance | +11% | Reflects safe-haven status in uncertainty |
⏳ 5-Year Performance | +27% | Reveals supportive longer cycles |
🏔️ 10-Year High/Low | $30 / $15 | Sets market risk parameters |
🔥 Volatility | Moderate | Blends industrial and safe-haven risk profiles |
Silver’s unique blend of industrial application and precious-metal status attracts a diverse investor base. As renewable energy and high-tech devices proliferate, silver remains in high demand.
With ongoing supply constraints, price prospects show stability with upside. This hybrid asset is particularly relevant in 2025 for those seeking exposure beyond gold.
Platinum
Criterion | Description | Why it matters |
---|---|---|
🪙 Current Price (June 2025) | $1,100 per ounce | Reflects trends in industrial & automotive use |
📈 End-of-Year Forecast | $1,200–$1,350 per ounce | Projects modest but sustained growth |
🚘 Industrial Use | Automotive catalytic converters, clean tech | Tied to real-world demand from vital sectors |
🏦 Market Cap | Medium, focused on specific industries | Niche appeal, but potent drivers |
🔄 Liquidity | Moderate, largely on futures markets | Important for managing larger positions |
📊 6-Month Performance | +9% | Suggests revival in demand |
📆 1-Year Performance | +13% | Positive trend following sector recovery |
⏳ 5-Year Performance | +24% | Useful for outlook on shifting tech trends |
🏔️ 10-Year High/Low | $1,500 / $800 | Defines historical range |
🔥 Volatility | Moderate | Relevant to adaptive trading strategies |
Platinum’s fortunes are linked to shifts in automotive technology and emissions standards. In 2025, cleaner energy mandates and industrial recovery bolster its outlook.
Its relatively moderate volatility appeals to those seeking niche market exposure while benefiting from industrialised economy demand.
Palladium
Criterion | Description | Why it matters |
---|---|---|
🪙 Current Price (June 2025) | $2,400 per ounce | Reflects supply-sensitive, high-value metal |
📈 End-of-Year Forecast | $2,600–$3,000 per ounce | Suggests high price floor due to scarcity |
🚙 Market Use | Automotive, electronics, dentistry | Underpins demand diversity, especially EVs |
🏦 Market Cap | Moderate, growing with tech expansion | Links to strategic material trends |
🔄 Liquidity | Moderate, higher during volatility periods | Enables speculator and end-user participation |
📊 6-Month Performance | +11% | Booming recent demand |
📆 1-Year Performance | +17% | Sector rotation support |
⏳ 5-Year Performance | +29% | Shows strong momentum relative to peers |
🏔️ 10-Year High/Low | $3,000 / $1,000 | Useful for setting risk levels in portfolios |
🔥 Volatility | High | High upside and risk in fast-changing segments |
Palladium has benefited from environmental policies and car industry innovation. Improved emission standards and electrification trends spur robust demand, despite tight supply.
Ongoing volatility provides price momentum, attracting both traditional and opportunistic investors to this focused market segment.
Soybeans
Criterion | Description | Why it matters |
---|---|---|
🪙 Current Price (June 2025) | $14 per bushel | Reflects agricultural commodity pricing |
📈 End-of-Year Forecast | $13–$16 per bushel | Demonstrates seasonal and global trend impact |
🌱 Supply & Demand | Driven by biofuels and global food markets | Key for future price resilience |
💧 Storage | High | Indicates practical risk in holding physical inventory |
🔄 Liquidity | High; major future and spot contracts | Supports trading strategies |
📊 6-Month Performance | +4% | Tracks recent market environment |
📆 1-Year Performance | +9% | Reflects global consumption changes |
⏳ 5-Year Performance | +19% | Shows longer term pricing patterns |
🏔️ 10-Year High/Low | $16 / $8 | Risk/return boundary for commodity portfolios |
🔥 Volatility | Moderate | Highlights influence of weather and policy shocks |
Soybeans remain a staple linked to global food supply and renewable fuel policies. Demand growth for plant-based foods and bioenergy has provided market support into 2025.
The commodity’s volatility, tied to seasonality and geopolitics, keeps it in focus both for speculation and as a hedge on global agricultural trends.
Wheat
Criterion | Description | Why it matters |
---|---|---|
🪙 Current Price (June 2025) | $7 per bushel | Key price for a global food staple |
📈 End-of-Year Forecast | $6.50–$8.50 per bushel | Forewarning for food inflation or shortages |
🌾 Supply & Demand | Affected by climate, geopolitics, and population | Essential for assessing market vulnerability |
💧 Storage | High | Practical constraint for major exporters |
🔄 Liquidity | High; widely traded globally | Supports price transparency and hedging |
📊 6-Month Performance | +3% | Indicates short-run shocks and demand uptake |
📆 1-Year Performance | +8% | Tracks international agri-market trends |
⏳ 5-Year Performance | +15% | Highlights food security stakes over time |
🏔️ 10-Year High/Low | $9 / $4 | Frames price limits historically |
🔥 Volatility | Moderate | Relates to climatic events and trade outlooks |
Wheat’s price trajectory is underpinned by its central role in food security. Unpredictable weather, shifting trade policies, and demographic growth continue to shape supply-and-demand balances.
As a widely traded asset, wheat remains a cornerstone for portfolios seeking to capitalise on global food system trends in 2025.
Which commodities to choose based on your investor profile?
Choosing which commodities to buy should align with your personal experience, comfort with risk, and investment objectives. Every investor has a unique profile—some prefer stability and learning, while others seek diversification and are comfortable navigating price swings. The following table provides a helpful starting point to match your investor profile with typical commodities strategies used by investors in the UK.
Investor Profile | Recommended Assets |
---|---|
Beginner | Gold, Silver, broad-based commodities ETFs or funds, government-regulated savings products |
Intermediate | Oil, Natural Gas, Copper, Soft Commodities (e.g. wheat, soybeans), diversified commodity baskets |
Experienced | Direct commodity futures/options, industrial metals (aluminium, platinum, palladium), tactical trading in agricultural and energy markets |
Good to know
Beginners may benefit from starting with a small budget. This approach helps you learn how the commodities market works and gain practical experience—without taking on unnecessary risks early in your investing journey.
How to buy commodities in the UK?
Buying financial assets such as stocks, ETFs, cryptocurrencies, or commodities has become much more accessible for everyone in the UK thanks to secure and user-friendly online platforms. As a beginner, you can take your first step with confidence by following a clear process designed to keep your assets and information safe.
Step | What to Do |
---|---|
Choose a reliable exchange or broker | Research and select a reputable, FCA-regulated platform or broker in the UK |
Create an account and verify identity | Register your details and complete identity verification (KYC) as required |
Deposit funds (bank card or wire transfer) | Add money to your account using safe payment methods like bank transfer or debit card |
Purchase desired assets | Use the platform’s interface to buy the financial assets you want |
Secure their storage (external wallet or securities account) | For stocks/ETFs, use your securities account; for cryptocurrencies, consider an external wallet |
Good to know
In the UK, profits from buying and selling financial assets such as stocks, cryptocurrencies, and commodities may be subject to capital gains tax. It’s important to keep detailed records of your transactions to ensure accurate tax reporting and compliance.
Our 5 tips before buying commodities
Before buying commodities, it's important to follow a few key recommendations to help protect your capital and invest confidently. The commodities market can be volatile, so taking a bit of time to prepare, understand the risks, and verify information will help you make better choices and avoid common mistakes. Below you'll find our five essential tips for anyone in the UK considering their first investment in commodities.
Tip | Explanation |
---|---|
Do your research | Learn about different commodities, their drivers, and recent trends. Reliable data helps you make informed choices. |
Check the FCA registration | Always use brokers or platforms authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) for improved consumer protection. |
Understand the risks | Commodities prices can be volatile. Make sure you know both the potential gains and losses involved. |
Start with a small amount | Begin with a modest investment, so you can watch how the market works and gain experience without significant risk. |
Keep records of all trades | Good recordkeeping helps you track your performance and makes it easier to report gains or losses if required. |
FAQ
What is the best opportunity to trade in commodities in 2025?
There is no single "best" opportunity, as the value of commodities can change quickly due to market trends, geopolitical events, and supply issues. It’s important to monitor different commodities and assess which ones suit your investment goals and risk tolerance in 2025.
How can I tell if a commodity is promising for investment in 2025?
A promising commodity often shows strong demand, solid recent performance, and positive outlooks from credible sources. It's wise to look at market data, current news, and economic trends before deciding, keeping in mind that no investment is without risk.
What strategy should I adopt to invest in commodities in 2025?
Many new investors choose to diversify by spreading their money across several commodity types, such as metals, energy, and agricultural products. Regularly reviewing your investments and being aware of market news can help manage risk in this fast-moving sector.
What are the main risks involved in commodities trading?
Commodities trading can be highly volatile, with prices influenced by factors like weather, politics, and market speculation. Sudden shifts can produce unexpected losses, so it’s best to start small and only invest money you are prepared to lose.
Are there any UK-specific regulations or tax considerations for commodities investing?
Yes, the UK regulates commodities trading, and profits may be subject to Capital Gains Tax. It’s important to use authorised brokers, keep records of all your trades, and consult official resources or a tax advisor to understand your obligations each year.
What is the best opportunity to trade in commodities in 2025?
There is no single "best" opportunity, as the value of commodities can change quickly due to market trends, geopolitical events, and supply issues. It’s important to monitor different commodities and assess which ones suit your investment goals and risk tolerance in 2025.
How can I tell if a commodity is promising for investment in 2025?
A promising commodity often shows strong demand, solid recent performance, and positive outlooks from credible sources. It's wise to look at market data, current news, and economic trends before deciding, keeping in mind that no investment is without risk.
What strategy should I adopt to invest in commodities in 2025?
Many new investors choose to diversify by spreading their money across several commodity types, such as metals, energy, and agricultural products. Regularly reviewing your investments and being aware of market news can help manage risk in this fast-moving sector.
What are the main risks involved in commodities trading?
Commodities trading can be highly volatile, with prices influenced by factors like weather, politics, and market speculation. Sudden shifts can produce unexpected losses, so it’s best to start small and only invest money you are prepared to lose.
Are there any UK-specific regulations or tax considerations for commodities investing?
Yes, the UK regulates commodities trading, and profits may be subject to Capital Gains Tax. It’s important to use authorised brokers, keep records of all your trades, and consult official resources or a tax advisor to understand your obligations each year.