Investing in commodities can be a smart way to diversify your portfolio, hedge against inflation, and gain exposure to different sectors of the global economy. For UK investors, there are various ways to invest in commodities, each with its own advantages and risks. This article will guide you through the basics of commodities, the types available to UK investors, and the best ways to invest in them, featuring insights from ChAI, a cutting-edge AI platform that leverages artificial intelligence to forecast commodity prices.

What is a Commodity?

A commodity is a basic good used in commerce that is interchangeable with other goods of the same type. Commodities are typically raw materials or primary agricultural products that can be bought and sold, such as metals, energy, and farming products. Because they are standardised, commodities can be traded on an exchange, ensuring a consistent price across different markets.

Types of Commodities Available to UK Investors

UK investors have access to a broad range of commodities, which can be broadly classified into three categories: energy, metals, and agriculture.

1. Energy Commodities

This category includes crude oil, natural gas, and gasoline. Energy commodities are crucial for the global economy and are influenced by geopolitical events, supply and demand dynamics, and technological advancements.

2. Metals

This includes precious metals like gold, silver, and platinum, as well as industrial metals like copper, aluminium, and zinc. Precious metals are often seen as a safe-haven investment, especially during economic downturns, while industrial metals are essential for manufacturing and construction.

3. Agricultural Products

This category includes commodities such as wheat, corn, soybeans, coffee, and cotton. Weather conditions, agricultural practices, and global demand influence agricultural commodities.

Ways to Invest in Commodities

There are several ways for UK investors to gain exposure to commodities. Here are the most common methods:

1. Commodity Funds and ETFs

Investing in commodity funds or exchange-traded funds (ETFs) is a convenient way to gain exposure to commodities without having to trade them directly. These funds invest in commodity futures contracts or stocks of companies involved in the commodity industry. According to Forbes, commodity ETFs offer diversification and liquidity, making them suitable for both novice and experienced investors.

2. Shares of Commodity Companies

Another way to invest in commodities is by purchasing shares of companies that produce or deal in commodities, such as mining companies, oil and gas firms, and agricultural businesses. This method allows investors to benefit from the performance of these companies and the commodities they produce.

3. Direct Investment in Commodities

Direct investment involves buying physical commodities such as gold bars or agricultural products. While this can be a tangible way to invest, it often requires significant storage and insurance costs, making it less practical for most investors.

4. Commodity Futures Contracts

Futures contracts are agreements to buy or sell a specific quantity of a commodity at a predetermined price on a future date. Experienced investors and traders commonly use this method due to its complexity and the potential for high risk and reward. IG highlights that futures contracts can be used for hedging or speculation purposes.

5. Commodity-focused SIPPs

Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs) allow investors to include commodities in their retirement portfolios. This can effectively diversify retirement savings and hedge against inflation over the long term.

Leveraging AI for Commodity Investments

Platforms like ChAI use artificial intelligence to forecast commodity prices, providing investors with data-driven insights and improving their investment decisions. By analysing vast amounts of data, AI can identify trends and predict price movements more accurately than traditional methods. This can be particularly useful in the highly volatile commodity markets.

Investing in commodities can provide significant benefits, including portfolio diversification and protection against inflation. UK investors have several options, including commodity funds, company shares, direct investments, futures contracts, and SIPPs. Leveraging AI tools like ChAI can enhance investment strategies by providing precise and timely market forecasts. Whether you are a novice or an experienced investor, understanding the different ways to invest in commodities and the benefits of each can help you make more informed and profitable decisions.

Creating a standout CV is crucial in the competitive field of product management. To ensure your CV gets noticed by recruiters, it’s essential to structure it effectively, highlighting your skills, experience, and achievements in a way that aligns with the expectations of hiring managers. Here are three proven ways to structure a product management CV, according to Recruited,a recruitment expert, that will catch the eye of recruiters and increase your chances of landing your desired role.

1. Highlight Your Product Management Experience Clearly

Why it matters

Your experience as a product manager is the most critical aspect of your CV. Recruiters want to see evidence of your ability to manage the product lifecycle, from ideation to launch, and your experience driving product success.

How to do it

• Create a Strong Summary: Start with a concise summary at the top of your CV. This should include your years of experience, key skills, and significant achievements. Mention any high-profile products you have managed and your impact on their success.
• Use Bullet Points: In the experience section, use bullet points to describe your responsibilities and achievements in previous roles. Focus on quantifiable results, such as increased user engagement, revenue growth, or successful product launches. For example, “Led the development and launch of X product, resulting in a 25% increase in user engagement within the first six months”.
• Project Management Skills: Highlight your project management skills, such as Agile and Scrum methodologies, which are essential for product management roles. Mention specific tools you’ve used, like JIRA or Trello, to demonstrate your familiarity with industry standards.

2. Showcase Your Technical Skills and Industry Knowledge

Why it matters

Product managers must often bridge the gap between technical teams and business stakeholders. Demonstrating your technical proficiency and industry knowledge can make your CV stand out.

How to do it

• Technical Skills Section: Include a section dedicated to technical skills. List programming languages, software tools, and platforms you are proficient in. Emphasise any experience with data analysis, UX/UI design, or software development.
• Certifications and Courses: Mention relevant certifications and courses. Certifications in Agile, Scrum, or product management from reputable institutions can add significant value to your CV. For example, “Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO)” or “Completed Product Management course from General Assembly”.
• Industry Knowledge: Tailor your CV to the specific industry you are applying for by mentioning relevant industry experience. For example, if you are applying for a role in the fintech sector, highlight your experience with financial products or your understanding of financial regulations.

3. Emphasise Your Leadership and Communication Skills

Why it matters

Product managers must lead teams, communicate effectively with stakeholders, and make strategic decisions. Highlighting your leadership and communication skills can demonstrate your ability to excel in a product management role.

How to do it

• Leadership Experience: Describe your leadership roles and responsibilities in previous positions. Mention how you have motivated teams, resolved conflicts, and guided projects to successful completion.
• Communication Skills: Provide examples of how you have effectively communicated with different stakeholders, including developers, designers, executives, and customers. Highlight any experience in presenting to senior leadership or conducting user research interviews.
• Soft Skills: Include a section on soft skills, such as problem-solving, critical thinking, and adaptability. These skills are crucial for navigating the dynamic challenges of product management.

Structuring your product management CV effectively can significantly enhance your chances of getting noticed by recruiters. You can create a compelling CV that clearly highlights your product management experience, showcases your technical skills and industry knowledge, and emphasises your leadership and communication abilities. Remember, a well-crafted CV is a powerful tool in the competitive job market and can help you land your next exciting role in product management. To further refine your CV, consider professional guidance from services like Recruited, which specialises in optimising CVs for job seekers in various fields.

The demand for fresh content is high in digital marketing, and the three Rs – Refresh, Rewrite, and Repurpose – can be your time-saving allies. Instead of always starting from scratch, these strategies allow you to breathe new life into your existing content, ensuring it remains relevant and engaging. By implementing the three Rs, you can maximise your results, save time, and feel less overwhelmed by the constant need for new content.

Refresh Your Content

Refreshing your content involves updating existing material to ensure it remains current and valuable. According to long-time copywriter Ed Prichard, this strategy is particularly useful for evergreen content that might need a few tweaks to stay relevant.

Steps to Refresh Content

• Update Statistics and Information: Ensure all data, statistics, and references are up-to-date. This not only improves the accuracy of your content but also boosts your credibility.
• Enhance SEO: Revisit your keywords and optimise your content for current search trends. This can improve your content’s visibility and drive more organic traffic.
• Improve Visuals: Update images, infographics, and other visual elements. High-quality visuals can make your content more engaging and shareable.

Example

A blog post about social media trends from two years ago can be refreshed by adding new statistics, current trends, and updated visuals to reflect the latest developments in the field.

Rewrite Your Content

Rewriting involves taking your existing content and giving it a new twist or perspective. This can be especially useful for underperforming content with potential but didn’t initially reach its audience effectively.

Steps to Rewrite Content

• Change the Format: Convert a blog post into a listicle, a how-to guide, or a FAQ format. This can make the content more accessible and engaging for different readers.
• Adjust the Tone and Style: Modify the tone to suit different audiences. For instance, a formal article can be rewritten in a more conversational style to appeal to a broader audience.
• Expand or Condense: Depending on the need, you can expand a brief article with more detailed information or condense a lengthy post into a more concise and impactful piece.

Example

A detailed research article can be rewritten into a simplified how-to guide or an infographic, making it more digestible for a broader audience.

Repurpose Your Content

Repurposing content involves taking one piece of content and transforming it into different formats to reach a wider audience. This approach allows you to make the most out of your high-quality content.

Steps to Repurpose Content

• Create Social Media Posts: Break down long articles into bite-sized social media posts. Each section or key point can become a Twitter, LinkedIn, or Instagram post.
• Develop Multimedia Content: Turn written content into videos, podcasts, or webinars. This caters to different preferences, as some people prefer consuming content in audio or video format.
• Compile into Ebooks or Whitepapers: Gather related blog posts and compile them into comprehensive ebooks or whitepapers. This adds value and can be used as a lead magnet to grow your email list.

Example

A series of blog posts about digital marketing strategies can be compiled into an ebook. Key points from these posts can be used to create a video series or a podcast episode.

Benefits of the Three Rs

Implementing the strategies of refresh, rewrite, and repurpose offers several benefits:

Increased ROI

Maximising the use of your existing content gives you more value from your original investment in content creation.

Time and Resource Efficiency

These strategies save time and resources compared to creating entirely new content from scratch.

Enhanced Reach

Different formats and updated information help reach new audiences and engage existing ones more effectively. 

Improved SEO

Regularly updating and optimising content helps maintain and improve search engine rankings, driving continuous organic traffic to your site.

Maximising the results from your existing content through refreshing, rewriting, and repurposing is not just a smart and efficient approach to content marketing. It’s a strategy that can keep your content relevant, engage a broader audience, and achieve better ROI. By integrating these strategies, you can ensure your content remains dynamic and valuable, ultimately driving more traffic and boosting your business’s online presence. The benefits are clear: increased ROI, time and resource efficiency, enhanced reach, and improved SEO.