Instruments · Commodities
Commodity CFDs: trade softs, copper and grains
Copper, coffee, sugar, cocoa, wheat and other softs and ags as CFDs — priced by real-world supply, demand and weather.
Overview
Beyond currencies and equities
From industrial metals to agricultural staples, commodities are priced by real-world supply, demand and weather — not sentiment alone. Trade copper, coffee, sugar, cocoa and other softs and ags as CFDs, with conditions built for both trend-followers and short-term traders.
Commodity CFD basics
What are commodity CFDs?
Commodity CFDs are contracts that track the price of raw materials such as coffee, sugar, cocoa, wheat and copper. You never take delivery of the goods. You agree to exchange the price difference between opening and closing, so you gain when the market moves your way and lose when it does not.
What moves commodity prices?
Weather, crop yields, disease, export rules and shipping costs drive agricultural markets. Copper follows industrial demand, so manufacturing and construction data from large economies matter. Most commodities are priced in US dollars, so a stronger dollar can weigh on prices. Planting and harvest cycles add recurring seasonal patterns, though none repeats on schedule. Currency drivers are covered on the forex page.
When do commodity CFDs trade?
Our sample specifications show a day session. Softs usually follow the hours of the exchange behind the price, so liquidity is thinner outside them and prices can gap at the open. Check market hours before you trade. New to the product? Read what a CFD is.
Worked example
Copper CFD example: a 20 cent rise
Hypothetical example: Copper trades at 4.00 dollars a pound. You buy 0.01 lot, which is 250 pounds at a 25,000 pound contract size. The price rises to 4.20. Your gain is 0.20 × 250 = 50 dollars, before spread and swap.
| Step | Hypothetical figure |
|---|---|
| Entry | 4.00 dollars a pound |
| Exit | 4.20 dollars a pound |
| Move | +0.20 per pound (250 pounds) |
| Result | +50 dollars, before spread and swap |
If copper had fallen to 3.80, you would have lost 50 dollars. The position is worth 1,000 dollars while the margin you post is smaller, so a modest price move can take a large share of your deposit. Use the calculators to size a trade and see trading conditions for current terms.
Why commodities
Why trade commodities with AQ Markets
Agricultural & soft commodities
Trade copper, coffee, sugar, cocoa and grains as CFDs — markets that move on weather, harvests and demand cycles.
A different risk driver
Commodities often move independently of currencies and equities, adding a different risk driver to a portfolio.
Seasonality-driven trends
Planting, harvest and weather cycles create recurring seasonal patterns that trend-followers watch closely.
Trade both directions
Go long into a supply shock or short into an oversupplied market — no restriction on direction.
- ✓ No restrictions. No restrictions on scalping, hedging or EA use across supported platforms.
- ✓ One account. Forex, metals, indices, commodities, shares and crypto CFDs from a single account.
- ✓ Tight spreads. Spreads from 0.0 pips on majors, sourced from a deep liquidity pool.
Quick stats
Commodities at a glance
Spec table
Commodity instrument specifications
Sample commodities and indicative trading conditions. The full instrument list is available inside the platform.
| Symbol | Description | Min Spread | Swap Long | Swap Short | Contract Size | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| COPPER | Copper | 1.8 | -1.5 | 0.4 | 25,000 lbs | Day session |
| COFFEE | Coffee | 3.0 | -1.2 | 0.3 | 37,500 lbs | Day session |
| SUGAR | Sugar #11 | 0.05 | -0.8 | 0.2 | 112,000 lbs | Day session |
| COCOA | Cocoa | 8.0 | -1.0 | 0.3 | 10 metric tons | Day session |
| WHEAT | Wheat | 1.2 | -1.4 | 0.4 | 5,000 bushels | Day session |
Illustrative sample data, not live market prices.
Trading conditions
Execution built for commodities
- ✓ Market execution — no dealing-desk intervention, no requotes.
- ✓ Average fill time 38ms (sample figure).
- ✓ Leverage on commodities varies by instrument and jurisdiction — see Trading Conditions (eligibility applies).
- ✓ Margin call and stop-out levels published per account type.
Platforms
Trade commodities on your platform of choice
Questions
Commodity CFD questions answered
The sample table above lists copper, coffee, sugar, cocoa and wheat. The full list is shown inside the platform.
A CFD settles in cash, so there is no delivery. Oil and gas sit on the energies page.
Softs have fewer participants and shorter sessions, so quotes can cost more to trade. Sample spreads are sample figures only. Compare with indices.
Risk warning. Forex and CFD trading is leveraged and carries a high level of risk to your capital. Prices can move quickly against you, and losses can exceed your initial deposit. Please read our Risk Disclosure before trading.
Learn more
Related guides
Short explainers and tools that go with this page.
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A plain explanation of contracts for difference.
What is leverage?
How margin lets a small deposit control a larger position.
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Estimate the margin a position needs.
Trading glossary
Plain definitions of common trading terms.
WTI oil trading
What moves crude oil and how barrel value works.
How to trade gold
Real yields, the dollar and a worked gold example.