The list of exchange-traded options has grown rapidly and now includes a broad range of agricultural commodities, precious metals, energy products, financial instruments, and foreign currencies. The following is a partial listing of commodities by category. Corn, Pork Bellies, Cotton, Lumber, Wheat, Cattle, Cocoa, Coffee, Soybeans, Sugar, Hogs, and Orange Juice. These reflect basic supply demand developments and may provide a leading indicator of renewed inflation.
Prices often rise sharply during periods of inflation and decline during recessions.
They can be volatile in either direction in times of economic uncertainty. As history has shown, prices can move rapidly and substantially in response to political and economic events. British Pounds, German Deutschemark, Swiss Franc, Japanese Yen, Canadian Dollars, and the U.S. Dollar Index Trade balances, economic trends, and government policies can influence the value of foreign currencies in relation to the dollar.