Investors trading commodities, such as oil, have been in high demand.Jeri Clausing/AP Hedge funds that trade commodities struggled in 2025. Big-name managers with exposure to energy or agriculture trades, such as Citadel, trailed peers. However, hedge funds are still flocking to the space, seeking to diversify from stock and fixed-income trades. All strategies mix good days and bumper years with bad days and market-lagging returns. For commodities traders in 2025, it was more of the latter. Conf ...

Core Insights - Precious metals are experiencing significant price increases amid geopolitical uncertainty, a weakening U.S. dollar, and inflation, with gold reaching 11 all-time highs and a year-to-date gain of over 45% [1] - Silver has outperformed gold with a year-to-date gain of nearly 57%, while platinum has increased by 75% in 2025 [1] - Palladium has also shown strong performance with a year-to-date gain of over 41%, highlighting its importance in investment portfolios [3] Precious Metals Performance - The Federal Reserve's first rate cut since 2024 has positively impacted precious metal prices, as these assets typically have an inverse relationship with interest rates [2] - There is a 96.7% probability that the Fed will cut rates again in October, which could further support precious metal prices [2] Palladium Market Dynamics - Palladium's demand is diverse, with 80% used in catalytic converters, but it is also utilized in surgical instruments, electronics, and aerospace applications [5][6] - Despite a global shift towards electric vehicles reducing catalytic converter demand, industrial consumption, particularly from the electronics sector, is maintaining palladium demand [7] - Supply constraints, primarily from Russia and South Africa, which account for around 80% of global output, are contributing to higher palladium prices [8] Investment Opportunities - The abrdn Physical Palladium Shares ETF (PALL) has gained over 36% year-to-date, outperforming the broader market and key sectors of the S&P 500 [4][11] - PALL is backed by physical palladium and offers a cost-efficient way to invest in the precious metal, currently priced at $114.17 per share [9] - Despite liquidity concerns due to lower trading volume compared to larger ETFs, PALL has shown strong performance and is considered a buy-low candidate [10][11] - The ETF has displayed a bullish golden cross pattern, indicating potential for continued upward price movement [12][14]