Don Dawson is an independent commodity futures and spread trader with 38-plus years of experience. He has authored hundreds of articles on commodity markets and trading education. He had previously taught futures classes at an international trading school for 15 years, during which he received multiple awards. In addition, Don is a weekly columnist and Futures Market Analyst for Barchart.
Copper's sitting right around $6.00 after that wild ride from the January highs near $6.58 down to $5.24. Volume from specs and commercials is holding steady, but you can feel the tension. Long-term supply...
Did you know? The Russell 2000 Index may be getting quiet support from something most traders overlook—steady earnings growth inside the S&P 500. Strong large caps often set the stage for small-cap outperformance....
The DJIA Index in 2026 isn’t a simple trend—it’s a complex puzzle. Interest rates, Fed policy, global growth, and geopolitics are all pulling in different directions at once. If you’re not looking...
While stocks, crypto, metals, & bonds are getting whipsawed by tariffs and Middle East headlines, corn just quietly rallied 59¢ off the low $4.30s. July '26 futures are now near $4.87. Not a blow-off...
Takeaway for Canadian dollar traders: don't rely on a single narrative. Oil, interest rates, and risk sentiment are all pulling USD/CAD in different directions. That's where opportunity—and risk—live....
Nasdaq's done riding pure hype. We're shifting to real, durable fundamentals. Fed policy is in that sweet neutral zone—liquid enough, not overheating. Fiscal juice from OBBBA is flooding corps & consumers...
Front-month WTI rallied back into the mid-$70s — the highest since mid-2025. Meanwhile, the May26/June26 calendar spread flipped from parity to a $2.22 premium to May. That’s structural tightening,...
Geopolitics alert: The 2026 US-Israel-Iran conflict has disrupted the Strait of Hormuz, spiking oil & freight costs. Higher energy = pricier fertilizer/transport → potential floor under wheat prices....
Lean Hog prices have a rhythm. Every year, supply peaks Oct–Dec as hog marketing hits full stride. More slaughter = more pork = seasonal pressure on wholesale prices. For speculators & hedgers, this...
Historically, post–Valentine’s Day seasonals haven’t shown much love for silver. A short-term dip wouldn’t be surprising. The bigger trend? Still open for debate.
