Commodity stocks can help increase your diversification and hedge against inflation, but they don’t provide as much diversification as a commodity ETF.
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Updated · 2 min readWritten by Editor & Content Strategist+ more + more Edited by Managing EditorCommodities are, for the most part, necessities. And in tough economic times, they can serve as a hedge against inflation in a well-diversified portfolio.
What are commodity stocks?
Commodities are basic goods, such as oil, wheat or cattle. Commodity stocks are shares of companies that operate in those spaces, such as oil refineries, wheat producers or meat-processing companies. Commodity stocks represent goods and services people need, such as food and energy. This can potentially make them strong additions to an investment portfolio.» Ready to invest?Check out the best online brokers for stock trading» Ready to invest?
20 best-performing commodity stocks
Here are 20 best-performing commodity stocks from Fidelity's Global Commodity Stock Fund (FFGCX). This fund offers a good representation of several commodities-based industries, including the energy, metals and agricultural industries. This fund may include international as well as domestic stock.The best-performing global commodity stock by one-year return is Sigma Lithium Corp (SGML), which is up 186.67%.TickerCompanyPerformance (Year)SGMLSigma Lithium Corp186.67%ALBAlbemarle Corp114.75%CVECenovus Energy Inc78.59%BHPBHP Group Limited ADR67.47%VALValaris Ltd65.38%AAAlcoa Corp60.44%TRGPTarga Resources Corp55.75%TECKTeck Resources Ltd45.38%DARDarling Ingredients Inc44.41%NENoble Corp Plc34.87%PBRPetroleo Brasileiro SA Petrobras ADR33.80%BGBunge Global SA31.62%AEMAgnico Eagle Mines Ltd31.47%FNVFranco-Nevada Corp28.02%WPMWheaton Precious Metals Corp26.21%XOMExxon Mobil Corp25.47%CNQCanadian Natural Resources Ltd24.86%TTETotalEnergies SE22.63%CFCF Industries Holdings Inc17.52%RSReliance Inc15.45%Source: Finviz. Data is current as of July 1, 2026, and is intended for informational purposes only.
Types of commodity stocks
There are several types of commodities. Here are a few examples:Gold.Oil.Meat.Silver.Wheat.Soybeans.Copper.Oats.Cotton.Rice.Make sense of the markets with The Nerdy InvestorA weekly wrap on what's moving markets, plus two monthly deep-dives on how to improve your investing, straight to your inbox.Subscribe for free
Commodity stock benefits
The three main benefits of commodity stocks are hedging against inflation, diversifying your investment portfolio and potentially paying dividends.Since commodity stock prices increase when the price of commodities increases, commodity stocks may work well to combat the effects of inflation. That’s particularly true if you’re getting close to retirement, already have other retirement-worthy investments such as bonds, Treasurys or money market funds and want to protect your investment portfolio's value. If you have a well-diversified portfolio to begin with, and you’re investing over a long period of time, you may benefit just as well (if not more) by focusing on stocks that have long-term growth potential.» Check outthebest-performing growth stocks» Check outtheCommodity stocks may increase your portfolio’s diversification because commodities are found in so many sectors. And since commodities are often necessities, it is less likely that consumers will cut back spending in the commodities sectors when times are tough. This is in contrast to other areas that may be considered discretionary, such as travel or restaurants.Some commodity stocks pay dividends, but not all do. The best dividend stocks don’t necessarily pay the highest dividends, but commodity companies with a history of paying reliable dividends and strong financial fundamentals may be worth investigating if you’re looking for commodities exposure.
Commodity stock risks
One of the biggest cons of commodity stocks is that they are fairly reliant on political and climate events, and can be volatile as a result. For example, extreme weather creates risks for crops and livestock, and international affairs can have a significant impact on oil prices. The other risk of commodity stocks is exactly that: They’re individual stocks. Individual stocks harbor all the risks of the singular company they represent. Commodity exchange-traded funds, or ETFs, however, allow you to invest in lots of different commodity stocks at the same time. This can reduce your risk and increase your portfolio’s diversification.About the authorAlana BensonAlana Benson is an investing writer who covers socially responsible and ESG investing, financial advice and beginner investing topics. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, MSN, Yahoo Finance, MarketWatch and others. See full bio.Helpful resourcesIndex Funds vs. Mutual Funds: The Differences That MatterBest Mutual Funds for July and How to InvestThe Best ETFs and How to Start Investing14 Best-Performing and Affordable ESG ETFs for 2026More like thisBest Financial AdvisorsBy Tina Orem, Alana BensonFind a Financial Advisor Near You | NerdWalletBy Diego Gil (C)How to Choose a Financial Advisor in 5 StepsBy Taryn Phaneuf